I Spent 30 Years Abroad and Now I'm Retiring in a Village - Shankar's Inspiring Journey
Shankar spent 27 years in Middle East and 3 years in Singapore, visited 120 countries, and chose to retire in a village near Kumbakonam in 2020. Discover his inspiring journey of community service, teaching villagers, and finding true happiness.
I Spent 30 Years Abroad and Now I'm Retiring in a Village - Shankar's Inspiring Journey
Shankar spent 27 years in the Middle East and 3 years in Singapore, visited 120 countries, reached the peak of his career as a director, and chose to retire in a village near Kumbakonam in 2020. Discover his inspiring journey of community service, teaching villagers, farming, and finding true happiness through giving back.
Key Highlights from Shankar's Journey
- Spent 27 years in Middle East and 3 years in Singapore, visited 120 countries
- First job in Dubai in 1990 at Al Futtaim during the Gulf War
- Ran his own GPS tracking business for 10 years, traveling to Afghanistan and Iraq
- Was director for companies in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia
- Retired at 54 and moved to a village near Kumbakonam in 2020 during COVID
- Lives in a senior living community with 220 flats
- Runs tailoring classes, tuition for children, farming, and community activities
- Built a swimming pool for village children and teaches seniors to use smartphones
A Different Kind of Success: "I aspired to buy a Mercedes E-Class in my career. I know what happiness I felt when I got it. Today when I see a village student jumping with happiness because he got a free cracker or a cap - if there was some meter to measure that happiness against the purchase of the Mercedes, I would say these are far higher."
🌍 Background: A Life Across Multiple Places
When people ask Shankar where he's from, he finds it a difficult question to answer. His life has been a journey across multiple places, making him feel more like a foreigner than a local anywhere.
Shankar's Multi-State Origins
- Born: Orissa
- Brought up: Bihar
- 11th and 12th: Chennai, Tamil Nadu (the only time he stayed in Tamil Nadu despite being a Tamilian)
- Parents' origin: Trivandrum, Kerala
- Engineering: Trivandrum
- MBA: XLRI
- First job: Dubai (unlike many others whose first job was in India)
This unique background of being from everywhere and nowhere at the same time gave Shankar a global perspective that would later help him adapt to village life with remarkable ease.
✈️ 30 Years Abroad: From Dubai to Singapore
Shankar's international career began on September 8, 1990 - a date he remembers precisely. The timing couldn't have been more dramatic.
Landing During the Gulf War
Shankar landed in Dubai when Saddam Hussein had just invaded Kuwait. People were leaving Dubai, warning that Saddam's Scud missiles might fall on the city. Despite this, Shankar decided to try things out and got his first job at Al Futtaim, a very well-known firm in the Middle East.
The Three Decades: A Structured Journey
Career Timeline
| Period | Duration | Role |
|---|---|---|
| First Phase | 10 years | Employed at Al Futtaim (continuous stretch) |
| Second Phase | 10 years | Own business - GPS tracking and satellite communication |
| Third Phase | 10 years | Employed again, eventually becoming Director |
The Entrepreneurial Middle Years
The middle 10 years were the most adventurous. Shankar was in the GPS tracking business when it was just emerging. The Afghanistan and Iraq wars created unexpected opportunities.
Peak of Career in Singapore
By 2020, Shankar was in Singapore, having started companies in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia for his employer. He was a director - at the peak of his career in terms of position and work.
120 Countries Visited
Throughout his career, Shankar visited 120 countries, gaining a wealth of experience and cultural insights that would later inform his perspective on life in India.
❤️ Three Reasons to Return to India
Despite being at the peak of his career, Shankar made a very conscious decision to return. Three clear reasons drove this choice.
Love for India
Shankar had always been Indian by heart. Whenever he visited India on holiday, he enjoyed everything - from panipuri on the roadside to the culture and people. This love for his motherland was always strong.
His Father's Comfort
This was the major factor. Shankar's mother passed away 20 years ago. For 17 years, his father had been staying with him wherever he was - Dubai, Singapore, and other places. At 84 years old (now 88), his father was a very social person who loved attending relatives' marriages and socializing with people.
Time with Daughters
Both his daughters had finished their education - the elder one from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and the younger one from University of Nottingham. Both had chosen to come back to India and work in Bangalore. Shankar wanted to spend time with them before they started their own families.
A Message to NRIs Abroad
"Why do you expect your parents always to come and stay with you and do things? Make some compromises. Take a break from your job. Come back to India. Stay with them even if it is for 6 months or one year. They have sacrificed for you to take you abroad - why don't you do the reverse?"
🏡 Why a Village Near Kumbakonam?
The choice of location wasn't entirely planned - it was a sequence of events that led Shankar to this village.
The Original Plan
Shankar had bought a property in a senior living community very close to Kumbakonam - just a single bedroom house. His original plan was simple: after retirement (60+), he would come and spend one month per year there. He bought this property in his 50s with this long-term vision.
How COVID Changed Everything
In 2020, when COVID hit, Shankar was in Singapore. He decided to return to India but chose not to go to Chennai where his other house was - he knew the stakes were higher there. Instead, he came to this village.
The Farmer Connection
At the back of his mind was another factor. There was a lot of news about farmers committing suicide and having issues. Shankar felt he should do something for society. While in Singapore, he even took classes on drone flying and got licenses, thinking he could help farmers by spraying pesticides or teaching them something different - potentially even turning it into a business.
What was supposed to be a 2-3 year intermediate phase before going back to a job turned into a permanent move. Shankar retired early at 54, and there was no looking back.
🏘️ Life in the Senior Living Community
The senior living community where Shankar lives is unique - a typical village setting with modern amenities for retired people.
Community Structure
- Total flats: 220 across 8 blocks (7 residential + 1 admin)
- Temples: Two - one for Shiva, one for Vishnu
- Facilities: Common kitchen, regular religious programs, social activities
- Location: About 10-12 kilometers from Kumbakonam
The Diverse Residents
The community houses people from remarkably diverse backgrounds:
Range of Residents
| Background | Details |
|---|---|
| Former Border Security Force Commando | Was in top range, ran commando operations against insurgents |
| Former Group Finance Director | Procter & Gamble |
| Delhi Development Authority Director | Gets pension of almost 1.5 lakhs per month |
| Widows on minimal pension | Some get as low as 1,000 rupees per month |
The Age Range
For a long time, Shankar's father was the senior-most person in the compound, and his wife was the junior-most - showing the wide age range of residents. Many women wondered what Shankar was doing there instead of finding a job.
Children Abroad
Many residents have children settled abroad - Shankar estimates 30-40% of the children are abroad. This generation is unique in having one foot in India and one abroad. The next generation may not have this problem.
The Scary Question
"Sometimes I get the question from their children abroad: 'Shall I come? My father is not well. Shall I come?' Being the youngest person here, I'm targeted for a second opinion. It's very difficult for me to say anything, but I know from my past that for a manager not to take a decision is the worst decision. So based on the situation, I advise them - sometimes I tell them come, sometimes I tell them no, it's okay, stay back."
🔄 Adapting from Singapore to Village Life
The transition from Singapore - the world's most expensive city - to a village near Kumbakonam was dramatic. But Shankar believes it's all in the mind.
The Contrast
| Singapore | Village |
|---|---|
| Three-bedroom company house | Single bedroom flat |
| World's most expensive city | No Swiggy or Zomato deliveries |
| Everything available | Most couriers stop at Kumbakonam |
| Structured environment | Biggest supermarket didn't know custard powder from kurkure powder |
Why Village Life is Actually Easier
Surprisingly, Shankar believes adapting to village life is easier than adapting to a city:
Village Advantages
- Trust: "I could give my key to anybody and even leave the door open. There's not much theft."
- Genuine people: "They have more needs, more poverty, but they are real human beings."
- No city problems: No traffic jams, dust, or hard water issues that would make you question your decision
- Helpful service: House help goes out of the way to do things, not restricted to defined work
The Washing Machine Story
Shankar shares a story about trust in villages. Once, a repair person asked for an advance, took his washing machine (tied on top of a bicycle!), and left. His father laughed, saying both money and washing machine were gone. But the truth is - the person came back. There's a system of trust in place.
The Beauty of Chaos
"It is chaos, no doubt - right from driving to everything else. Driving in India is not enjoyable because it's not just cars, it's everything living on the road. But you stop on that same road, show your hand, and a guy brings a glass of sugarcane juice to you in your seat. You drink it, pay him. In Singapore, you have to get down, park, go somewhere else - there's a lot of process. India for all those things is super."
🤝 Community Service: Teaching and Empowering
What started as a desire to help farmers evolved into comprehensive community service touching multiple aspects of village life.
Teaching Seniors Technology
One of Shankar's proudest achievements is teaching seniors to use smartphones.
Smartphone Classes for Seniors
Shankar conducts classes teaching seniors in their 70s and 80s how to use smartphones. Many don't know how to type, so he teaches them to send voice messages on WhatsApp so they can communicate with their children.
His admission: "I take pride that I'm very patient to sit with them. Maybe not my father, but with somebody else's parents, I'm very good."
He regularly gets requests like "my phone got stuck" or "I have a message for upgrade, what shall I do" - small things that make a big difference in their lives.
Tuition Classes for Village Children
The tuition initiative started when Shankar noticed something disturbing about village children.
A Shocking Discovery
When village children came to his small farm plot, Shankar noticed they didn't know the names of vegetables like lady finger, brinjal, or tomatoes. Why? Because their mothers only make drumstick sambar with rice - that's all they eat. They were malnourished in a different way, with very narrow exposure to food and the world.
What the Tuition Classes Cover
- Academic subjects: Taught by resident volunteers who are experienced teachers
- Moral values: Teaching children about phone etiquette, not disturbing others on trains
- Relationships: Teaching about brotherly and sisterly affection vs romantic relationships
- Quizzes: Reasoning exercises to develop thinking skills
- Projects: Children propose ideas and build them - like solar cookers using dish antennas
Tailoring Classes
The tailoring initiative started with skill development in mind.
Tailoring Program Details
- Started with: 4 sewing machines
- Teachers: Experienced ladies from the senior community, including an 82-year-old who did professional tailoring in Chennai for 30 years
- Products: Made 500 bags for Navratri at 60 rupees each
- Incentive: If a student is very good, they're given a sewing machine (sponsored by residents)
- Cost: Materials are donated, only zips are purchased - essentially zero cost price
Financial Literacy for Housekeeping Staff
Shankar learned early that giving loans to villagers often backfires - they don't return it, and relationships become bad. So he drew a policy: help them help themselves.
Government Scheme Enrollment
- Pradhan Mantri Bima Yojana: Pay 12 rupees per year, get 2 lakh life insurance if hit by a car
- Additional coverage: Deduct 330 rupees per year for comprehensive life insurance for 2 years
- Bank loans: Helped move people from high-interest zamindari system to bank loans
- Form filling: Helped fill forms, set up automatic deductions from bank accounts
These villagers don't have a concept of savings - anything unexpected happens and they're in trouble. The insurance provides a safety net.
🌱 Farming and Swachh Bharat Initiatives
Shankar's farming journey started with a small 1,500 sq ft plot that came with his flat. It has now expanded to 12,000 sq ft of borrowed land.
The Swachh Bharat Connection
When the Swachh Bharat concept came up, Shankar took action. He approached owners of empty plots near him, offered to put a fence around them and keep them clean. They agreed - no rent, just take the land whenever they want to build or sell.
Farming Expansion
- Started: 3,000 sq ft
- Then: Another 3,000, then another 3,000, then another 3,000
- Now: 12,000 sq ft of land belonging to others, no rent paid
- Crops: Lady finger, brinjal, tomatoes, groundnuts, bottle gourd
- Irrigation: Tried drip irrigation and sprinkler systems (learned sprinklers also water the grass which becomes problematic)
The Joy of Farming
Shankar had never done gardening before in his life. He can't even sit properly on the floor or bend too much, so he used a stool. But the experience has been transformative.
Distributing to the Poor
All the produce is given to poor families and children. His wife picks the vegetables, makes them into bundles, and distributes them. The children are thrilled to receive something new to take home to their parents.
Incentive System
The vegetables become an incentive for children to attend tuition classes. "You come for classes, then you get all these privileges" - including swimming pool access and fresh vegetables.
🎯 Special Projects: Swimming Pool, Ravana, and More
Being an engineer, Shankar loves taking on projects. Some of his most memorable ones showcase the community spirit he's built.
The Swimming Pool
The swimming pool project started because parents wouldn't send children to the river (dangerous) and summers are extremely hot.
Building the Pool
- Construction: Dug up and built by Shankar, his wife, nephew, and village children
- Materials: 6 ft by 1 ft readymade slabs for walls, plaster, white cement coating, distemper paint
- Innovation: Connected a field sprinkler to spray water on the shed roof, cooling the tailoring class area by 10-15 degrees in summer
The first lot of village kids who got into the pool showed immense joy - something they'd never experienced before.
The 30-Foot Ravana
For Dussehra, Shankar designed and built a 30-foot (about 30 meters) Ravana with community participation.
Ravana Project Details
- Design: Engineering drawings with calculations (diameter 15, circumference 47, etc.)
- Materials: Bamboo structure, filled with crackers
- Participation: Senior residents helped with construction, children assisted
- Viewing: Set up "terrace seats," "premium seats," and "balcony seats" for residents to watch
- Burning: Two weeks of effort, 3-4 minutes of burning - emotionally attached to seeing it go
Temple Trips for Seniors
Shankar organizes temple trips for seniors whose children are abroad and can't take them.
Upcoming Trip: Guruvayur Temple
About 40 people are going to Guruvayur Temple in February. Shankar handles everything - booking train tickets, bus tickets, accommodation. "Their children are all very well-to-do, but if you ask them whether they can come back from abroad and take them to a temple, it's a big question mark."
The Cooling House Project
Shankar's latest engineering project addresses a real problem - the extreme heat in village houses made with asbestos or steel sheets.
Natural Air Cooling System
Inspired by the earthen pot (matka) principle where water becomes cool, Shankar is building an 18 ft by 9 ft room with a revolutionary cooling system:
- Embed earthen pots/cups into 6 ft by 1 ft slabs
- Let water drip on these through pipes
- Natural air passing through cools down
- Four such slabs on four walls would cool the entire house
Goal: If successful, revolutionize cooling for village houses without electricity
💡 Philosophy on Money and Happiness
Shankar's perspective on money and happiness has evolved dramatically through his journey.
The College Calculation
When Money Was "Enough"
When Shankar finished college, he and three friends sat down and wrote what they needed in life - leaving out car and house, just listing fridge, TV, and other items. They calculated that with a salary of 6,000 rupees (a very good salary for a fresh engineer then), saving 300 rupees per month, they could buy everything in 8 years.
Reality check: His first job in Dubai paid more than 15,000 rupees. But that very first month, he learned his lesson - the money was over. Lifestyle upgrades to match income.
The Mercedes vs. Village Child
Shankar shares his most powerful insight on happiness:
Measuring Happiness
"I aspired to buy a Mercedes E-Class in my career - a brand new one. I know what happiness I felt when I got it and got the key in my hand. Today when I see a village student and I'm doing something very small for him and he's jumping with happiness because he got a free cracker or a cap - if there was some meter to measure that happiness that I'm receiving because of what he's getting against the purchase of the Mercedes, I would say these are far higher."
The Selfish Motive
Shankar is refreshingly honest about his motivations:
When to Make the Move
Shankar has strong advice about timing:
Don't Wait Too Long
- If you've fulfilled basic requirements and are staying abroad purely for money, think of a switch
- You need to play off between having money and enjoying life
- When doing farming, Shankar is panting - it's not easy. If you think you'll do these things at 60 or 70, you've lost the bus already
- 50% of your life you live, 50% you try to relive what you lived - plan time for both
👩 Wife's Contribution: Yoga and Tailoring
Shankar emphasizes that his wife Meena is deeply involved in all their community work.
Meena's Daily Routine
- Yoga classes: Every day from 7-8 AM for seniors, customized for their needs without rigorous exercises
- Tailoring supervision: Works with village women and senior residents who teach
- Wire basket weaving: Teaches ladies to make wire baskets, helps them sell
- Diwali snacks: Sits with 7-10 senior women (70s-80s) who know recipes but are too old to physically make them - Meena does the physical work while they guide
Meena's Perspective
The Importance of Spousal Alignment
Shankar credits much of his success to having a supportive wife:
A Critical Factor
"You have to be lucky. If a wife is somebody who nags about things and is not happy, you do have a problem. But if you are able to mold it and she's also seeing it that way - I'm very lucky that way. She's also deeply involved."
The Guru Dakshina
Meena shares what motivates her yoga teaching:
A Recent Story
Just before Diwali, Meena gave 3,000 rupees to a lady for her tailoring work. There was a twinkle in the lady's eyes - she could buy her son's new clothes for Diwali. After Diwali, Meena asked if she celebrated well. The lady said "Yes, because of you we celebrated well." Meena corrected her: "It's not because of us, it's your hard work that paid off."
📝 Advice for NRIs Abroad
Shankar has clear, direct advice for NRIs considering a return or those who plan to stay abroad.
For Those Staying Abroad
Don't Abandon Your Parents
"Why do you expect your parents always to come and stay with you? Make some compromises. Take a break from your job. Come back to India. Stay with them even if it is for 6 months or one year. Changing jobs or do something and live happily with them. They have sacrificed for you to take you abroad - why don't you do the reverse?"
For Those Considering Return
Don't Just Visit - Experience
"Don't do that one month or two weeks stay. Just take a break, come and stay for one year. You will get the mix of everything. Then make your choice where you want to stay and how you want to enjoy life. If you don't do that and just believe that's a better place for you, I think you'll be doing a mistake or at least you're not being fair to yourself."
See India's Beauty
Shankar recently visited Durga Puja in Kolkata - "an unbelievable experience." The amount of work that goes into each pandal, teams of 50-100 people working for one year just to show an idol for nine days, then destroying everything. "Forget about going to Turkey Istanbul and seeing the Sophia Palace - come to Kolkata and see what's going on there."
Hidden Gems Are Everywhere
Just 3 kilometers from Shankar's village is a huge Nandi (Shiva's bull) - apparently one of the largest. Nobody comes to see it, nobody knows about it. Meanwhile, he was taken to Jerash in Jordan - 3 hours travel to see just columns and stones that Western media has made into a tourist attraction.
On India's Problems
The Final Message
Where You Stay Doesn't Matter
"Because I can't explain what I'm doing here to a lot of people who see me differently, I just tell them that I was going on a plane from above, somebody pushed me, that's why I landed at this place. For me it's as simple as that. You have to live somewhere. You have to be happy. And what gives you happiness is what you should do."
Planning Your Return to India?
Shankar's story shows that retirement in India can be deeply fulfilling when you find purpose through community service. Whether you're considering a village, a senior living community, or a metro city, having a clear "why" makes all the difference.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shankar decide to return to India after 30 years abroad?
Shankar had three main reasons: 1) Love for India - he always felt Indian at heart and enjoyed everything from panipuri on the roadside to the culture, 2) His father - his mother passed away 20 years ago and his father (then 84, now 88) had been staying with him abroad for 17 years. He felt a strong obligation to make his father comfortable in his last years where he could socialize and attend family functions, 3) His two daughters had finished education and chosen to work in Bangalore, so he wanted to spend time with them before they started their own families.
What is Shankar's background and career history?
Shankar was born in Orissa, brought up in Bihar, did 11th and 12th in Chennai, engineering in Trivandrum, and MBA from XLRI. His first job was in Dubai in 1990 at Al Futtaim. He spent 30 years abroad - 10 years employed at his first company, 10 years running his own GPS tracking business (traveling to Afghanistan, Iraq, and remote areas for satellite communication equipment), and 10 years employed again. He was a director for companies in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia before returning to India.
Where did Shankar settle in India and why?
Shankar settled in a senior living community about 10-12 kilometers from Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. He had bought a single bedroom property there years ago with plans to spend one month per year after retirement. When COVID hit in 2020 while he was in Singapore, he decided to come to this village instead of Chennai (where he had another house) because he knew the stakes were lower there. The sequence of events and his interest in helping farmers brought him to this location.
What is the senior living community like where Shankar lives?
The community has 220 flats across 8 blocks (7 residential + 1 admin). It has two temples (one for Shiva, one for Vishnu), a common kitchen, and regular religious and social programs. Residents include people from diverse backgrounds - a former Border Security Force Commando, a former Group Finance Director of Procter & Gamble, and others. Some residents get pensions of just 1,000 rupees per month while others get 1.5 lakhs. Shankar's father was the senior-most person and his wife was the junior-most, showing the age range.
What community service activities does Shankar do?
Shankar and his wife do extensive community work: 1) His wife teaches yoga to seniors daily from 7-8 AM, 2) He teaches seniors how to use smartphones and WhatsApp, 3) They run tailoring classes for village women with 4 sewing machines, 4) They conduct tuition classes for village children, 5) They do farming on 12,000 sq ft of borrowed land and distribute vegetables to poor families, 6) They built a swimming pool for village children, 7) They organize trips for seniors to temples, 8) They made a 30-foot Ravana for Dussehra with community participation.
How did Shankar adapt from Singapore to village life?
Shankar went from a three-bedroom company house in Singapore (the world's most expensive city) to a single bedroom in a village. He says it's all in the mind. The village doesn't have Swiggy or Zomato deliveries, most couriers stop at Kumbakonam, and the biggest supermarket didn't know the difference between custard powder and kurkure powder. But he finds village people are genuine and trustworthy - he can leave his door open without fear of theft. He believes adapting to village life is actually easier than adapting to a city because there's less traffic, dust, and hard water issues.
What is Shankar's philosophy on money and happiness?
Shankar shares that when he finished college, he and friends calculated they needed 6,000 rupees salary to buy everything they wanted in 8 years. His first job paid 15,000 rupees, but he learned money is never enough because lifestyle upgrades with income. He compares the happiness of buying a Mercedes E-Class to seeing a village child jump with joy over a free cracker or cap - the child's happiness measures higher. He emphasizes that happiness comes from within and from giving, not from accumulating wealth.
What advice does Shankar give to NRIs abroad?
Shankar's key messages: 1) Don't expect parents to always come stay with you abroad - make compromises, take breaks from your job, come to India for 6 months or a year, 2) When is money enough? If you've fulfilled basic requirements and are staying abroad purely for money, think of a switch, 3) Don't wait until 60-70 to pursue your aspirations - by then you may not have the health to do them, 4) India has plenty of beautiful things to see and experience - from Durga Puja in Kolkata to ancient temples near his village, 5) Don't keep pointing to India's problems - be the change you want to see.
Ready to Plan Your Return to India?
Shankar's story demonstrates that retirement in India can be deeply fulfilling when you find purpose through community service. Whether you're considering a village, a senior living community, or a metro city, the key is having a clear "why" and being open to giving back.
Connect with others who have made the move and learn from their experiences.
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