The Unexpected Request

Lux had just finished 8th grade in India when he went to his father one evening and said: "I want to go to Canada."

He doesn't remember exactly what triggered this - possibly something at his tuition center or school. But the next day, his father simply said: "Okay, you're going."

The reality hit: "Once I heard that I'm going, there was a fear in me. I had never traveled alone. I hadn't done anything alone. And I was 13 years old."

Lux's Advice for Students

"If you're anywhere in the world, you shouldn't shy away from going and talking to people. Those people were genuinely very nice and inviting. I think it was the shyness in me, the fear of being rejected, that I didn't even approach those groups."

The turning point: Once he started approaching people, they were welcoming. They studied together, solved problems together, and became friends.

The Double Degree Challenge

Lux enrolled in a double degree program: BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) and BMath (Bachelor of Mathematics) with a Computer Science minor.

His mentor warned him: "Don't come here. You're going to hate your life."

Lux's response: "If you can do it, I can do it too. Don't challenge me."

What Waterloo Taught Him

• Mental toughness: Waterloo's slogan is "Tough times don't last, but Warriors do"
• Resilience and consistency: Learning to push through difficult times
• Social skills: He became so social that anyone at Waterloo could point to his dorm room
• Best friendship: Met his best friend during this period - they've been together 12-13 years
• Personal development: Physical, mental, spiritual growth all happened here

Internship Experience

Professional Journey

1. Tech Startup in Montreal: First job after university, stayed about 6 months
2. Export Development Canada (Federal Government): Business development for financial solutions
   • Financed exporters out of Canada
   • Trade-related financing: mergers & acquisitions, insurance for trade products
   • Revolving lines of credit and other financial solutions
   • Bridge between business side and back office

Urban Desi Toronto

The concept: Taking his family's ethnic Indian menswear business and creating streetwear with a modern twist - long t-shirts made from Khadi fabrics with unisex appeal.

They attended streetwear conferences and trade shows within and outside the university. Eventually, Lux sold the business to an Indian retailer (name undisclosed).

The Decision Process

• Family support: His wife was on board after understanding his reasoning
• Trust in India: He trusted India's economy for the next 25-30 years
• Infrastructure growth: Saw massive development in India
• Quick execution: Sold his sports car, made the decision with his wife
• Open mindset: Not fixated on one country - flexible about future moves

What He Misses About Canada

• Clean roads and less traffic
• Driving on the highway at 120-140 km/hour
• Clear skies

What Makes It Worth It

• Seeing his son play with 12 different family members in the household
• Family love and affection
• Not having to arrange play dates and night stays for socialization

Monthly Income Guidelines

Stretching Your Dollar

• Experience boutique things in Tier-2 cities
• Stay at boutique Airbnbs instead of luxury hotels
• Plan trips in advance for better deals
• A normal family can have a great time with planning

Market Comparison: India vs Canada

Reputed Builders to Consider

• Godrej Properties
• DLF
• M3M
• Signature Global
• Sobha International

All listed players known for delivering quality.

The Story from "Indians in Toronto" Group

A 6-7 year old Indian boy came home from school and told his banker parents: "Dad, I feel like I am a girl in a boy's body."

The child said he felt he should be wearing a frock, not jeans or trousers.

When the shocked parents approached the school, they were told: "If you cannot accept our culture, move back to your country."

Key Advice Points

• Don't just jump in: Some planning is definitely needed
• But don't overanalyze: "If you just keep overanalyzing, you would never be able to take that decision"
• Have resources: Family backup, financial resources help
• Trust the process: "Tweaking things along the way can go really far"
• Evaluate with the right lens: Do your research, talk to people

Why did Lux move to Canada at such a young age?

Lux's family first went to Canada in 2008 when his father was the primary applicant for PR. They stayed only a month as his father didn't see much potential there at the time due to the economy and their family business back home. In 2010, when Lux had just finished 8th grade in India, he asked his father if he could go back to Canada. The next day, his father agreed. Lux doesn't remember exactly what triggered the request - possibly something at his tuition center or school. He traveled alone at age 13 on a connecting flight (which was scary for him) and stayed with his aunt (father's sister) who was the only family in Canada. His parents and 12 family members remained in India.

How was Lux's transition to the Canadian school system?

The transition was challenging. Lux joined in Grade 10 when friend groups were already formed (either from middle school or Grade 9). He was an outsider coming from a different country. The main challenges were: 1) Getting into existing friend groups - people already had their circles, 2) Language barrier - he could speak English but not at the level where locals considered him "one of them", 3) Shyness and fear of rejection prevented him from approaching groups initially. His advice: don't shy away from talking to people - they were genuinely nice and inviting once he approached them. He found his "safe haven" in ESL (English as Second Language) classes where he met students from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and the Middle East.

What was Lux's educational and career path in Canada?

Lux had a 99.8% top six average in Grade 12 but only applied to 2-3 schools (he regrets not applying to more). He chose University of Waterloo for its co-op/internship options and because his mentor from high school was in the same program. He did a double degree in Math and Business (BBA and BMath with Computer Science minor) - a very challenging program. The first two years were difficult - he struggled academically, deferred exams, and sought therapy. But this period developed him personally. He completed 7 internship terms at RBC, pension plans, private equity, CGI (tech consulting), and capital markets. After university, he worked at a tech startup in Montreal, then at Export Development Canada (federal government) doing business development for financial solutions.

What made Lux decide to return to India after 15 years?

The major reason was family. After welcoming his baby boy, Lux realized he had only met his parents 15 times in 15 years, for just 15-20 days (max 30 days) each visit. This emotional trigger made him realize that no amount of money matters if there's no one to enjoy it with. He missed the family love and affection that only family can provide. His wife was on board after understanding his reasoning. Additionally, he trusted India's economy for the next 25-30 years for his growth, business growth, and family's growth. He saw the infrastructure development, services improvement, and quality of life changes in India. The decision was quick - from January 2024 thinking about it to July 31, 2024 landing in India.

What financial advice does Lux give for people considering moving to India?

Lux's rule of thumb: For a single person, 1-1.5 lakh rupees per month can go really far in tier-2 cities. In Delhi or Mumbai, increase to 2-2.5 lakhs for the luxuries NRIs are used to. His personal number is 3-4 lakhs per month (he's working toward this). Key insights: 1) India is NOT cheap if you go to good restaurants or hotels - they can be more expensive than North America, but the service and grandeur are unmatched, 2) To stretch your dollar, experience boutique things in tier-2 cities and Airbnbs, 3) Two big expenses are housing and kids' education - once those are handled, there's flexibility, 4) Plan but don't overanalyze - analysis paralysis prevents many from ever making the move.

What are Lux's views on Indian real estate for NRIs?

Lux is very bullish on Indian real estate for the next 15 years (market expected to reach $1 trillion). Key insights: 1) New developments in Delhi NCR offer 2900-3300 sq ft apartments for 3.5-3.75 crores - same price as a 500-650 sq ft one-bedroom in Toronto downtown, 2) 27% of one particular builder's business comes from NRIs, 3) Reputed builders like Godrej Properties, DLF, M3M, Signature Global, Sobha International are delivering quality, 4) For NRIs, new launches are easier (DocuSign, digital KYC, no physical presence needed), 5) He strongly advises against buying resale properties due to compliance issues and paper trail complexities, 6) Currently 85,000 cranes are working in Gurgaon market alone - massive infrastructure development.

What concerns does Lux have about raising children in Canada?

Lux shared a concerning story from the "Indians in Toronto" Facebook group: A 6-7 year old Indian boy came home from school and told his banker parents "I feel like I am a girl in a boy's body" and wanted to wear frocks instead of jeans. When the parents approached the school, they were told "If you cannot accept our culture, move back to your country." Lux sees this as brainwashing children with gender ideology, creating a "generation of confused people." Having just welcomed his son, this was an eye-opener. He didn't want his child raised in that environment. Combined with the schooling system issues, education costs, rent prices, and the economy "going to shambles" in Canada over the last 2-3 years, this reinforced his decision to return to India.