After spending nearly 17 years away from his hometown for education, work and business, a founder has shared why moving back to Bhopal turned out to be a positive change in his life. In a video posted on Instagram, he spoke about the quality of life, shorter commutes and growing professional opportunities available in Tier-2 cities.
The man, identified as Karan Kukreja, said he had lived in cities including Gurgaon and Mumbai before circumstances brought him back to Bhopal.
‘Life here has been so much better’
“By the way, this is my workstation for today. My hometown is Bhopal. A few years ago, I moved back here. I lived outside for many years—Gurgaon, Bombay—and came back. Had to come back due to certain reasons. 15 to 17 years... college, a few years of schooling, job, business... Lived in Gurgaon for quite a few years. Had to come here due to some reasons, man. To tell you the truth—life here has been so much better,” Kukreja said in the video.
He also encouraged people who have settled in metropolitan cities to consider returning to their hometowns, arguing that Tier-2 cities now offer meaningful professional opportunities.
“If you have settled there, then go to your own hometowns. There are opportunities in Tier-2 [cities]. Work is coming in. Life is going great for people here. Yeah, there's a different way of working, the gameplay is a bit different,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“If you have settled there, then go to your own hometowns. There are opportunities in Tier-2 [cities]. Work is coming in. Life is going great for people here. Yeah, there's a different way of working, the gameplay is a bit different,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}(Also read: ‘People are earning more but losing peace’: Techie explains why life in Tier 1 cities is mentally draining)
Kukreja also highlighted Bhopal’s relatively manageable commute times. “But man, look at the life—15 to 20 minutes from one place to another. Traffic is going to increase a bit now, but compared to other places, man, we are very livable.”
‘There is so much you can build’
The clip was shared with a caption describing his workstation for the day as “a balcony, the rain, and a laptop”.
In the caption, Kukreja reiterated that returning to Bhopal had improved his lifestyle and challenged the perception that moving to a Tier-2 city means slowing down professionally.
“There is work, there are opportunities; the gameplay is just a little different,” he wrote, adding, “So, if you have already settled in a metro, think about it, my dear friends. Consider returning to your hometowns. There is so much you can build and create there.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The post drew reactions from users who related to Kukreja’s observations about life outside major metros. One person wrote, “Tier-2 cities really do offer a better quality of life.” Another commented, “Not every successful career needs a metro city.”
A third user said, “Less traffic, more peace and still plenty of opportunities,” while another added, “The 15-minute commute alone sounds like a dream.”
(Also read: Founder moves to Europe despite calling US the best place to become a millionaire: ‘It took me a long time’)
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)