Bullish on India | Why these top academics returned after a stint abroad

Though a big fan of the work environment and research facilities in the US, Ashok Kumar found American society quite individual-oriented and having a social fabric far removed from that in India.

Prakarsh Singh left Chandigarh two decades ago for London to pursue a bachelor's degree in economics from the London School of Economics (LSE). In 2011, he moved to Amherst College, Massachusetts, as an assistant professor of economics after completing a PhD.

After teaching and carrying out research in development economics at Amherst for seven years, he left academia to join Amazon in Seattle. But destiny had other plans, and after almost six years at Amazon, he returned to Chandigarh.

The inflection point was teaching a course as an adjunct professor at Plaksha University, Mohali, while still being based in US. Prakarsh has now returned to India as a Chair Professor of Economics at Plaksha to follow his passion for teaching.

“India is on the precipice of becoming the world’s most skilled nation with the largest youth cohort that is open to technical learning. My ultimate goal after returning to India is to teach economics, data science and business with innovative pedagogy and carry out economics research on talent management and development,” Singh told Moneycontrol.

He believes he is bullish on India because several institutions are closing the skill gap between the demand and supply sides among engineering graduates, and that there is a potential reversal of the so-called brain drain.

Singh is not alone. Recently, several major higher educational institutions in India have seen academicians joining them after working abroad to contribute to the ‘India growth story’. This is because, they say, India’s consistently rising position in the global arena led by rapid economic growth is making people who migrated rethink.

Returning to past glory

Though a big fan of the work environment and research facilities in the US, Ashok Kumar found American society quite individual-oriented and having a social fabric far removed from that in India.

The realisation wasn't a sudden thing. After completing their MSc from IIT Kanpur in 1989, Kumar moved to Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, where he obtained another master's and PhD in space physics. From working in Antarctica to Massachusetts General Hospital, he spent almost 20 years in the US conducting research in various departments including those far removed from mainstream science.

ALSO READ | What’s cooking? Professional chefs and hospitality managers have new workplace: Private universities

“I found some spiritual groups and got associated with people inclined towards Sri Aurobindo and Mata Amritanandamayi’s teachings. I had a strong urge to do something for my country. I did not obtain a green card even though I had several opportunities to do so as I was bound to mother India deep in my soul,” Kumar said.

Returning to India in 2018 to look after his mother who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the professor indulged in in independent research on mathematics, physics and spirituality. He later joined the Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh-based Sharda University and is currently head of artificial intelligence in the medicine imaging and forensics department.

“The signs of the upswell of India rising is evident everywhere and it became evident to me even when I was in the US. This is what makes me bullish on India because, in my opinion, India’s greatness has an eternity to it, which can be temporarily overshadowed but can never be destroyed,” he said.

At Sharda, Kumar’s goal is to develop and bring the Centre of Excellence in AI in Medicine, Imaging & Forensics to national and international prominence.

Transformation on all fronts

Fifteen years ago, the process of repatriation for Vijaysekhar Chellaboina was marked by its challenges, as it was not without its difficulties. Despite the many advantages of returning, there were certain hurdles to contend with. These ranged from commonplace issues like traffic congestion to the convoluted procedures for obtaining loans or passport renewals.

According to Chellaboina, many of these processes in India were unnecessarily intricate, often demanding additional visits and follow-ups to specific departments. However, he feels that in the 15 years since his return, the digital transformation of numerous processes has significantly improved the situation.

ALSO READ | With demand for metaverse talent set to rise, XR labs pop up in colleges

Among his other immediate focuses as dean of computer science & engineering (CSE) at Visakhapatnam-headquartered GITAM School of Technology, Chellaboina aims to increase the synergy between industry and academia, a challenge that the Indian education system is currently facing leading to a dearth of people with truly employable skills.

“Private universities rely mainly on student tuition fees, which creates challenges in funding advanced infrastructure improvements. Consequently, their ability to collaborate closely with industries on developmental initiatives is limited. Nevertheless, the ‘Make in India’ campaign has sparked the emergence of numerous startups eager to engage with private universities,” he said.

This dynamic, the professor thinks, is effectively fostering a mutually beneficial connection between private universities and small-scale industries. “As a result, curriculum and training can be tailored to be more applicable, enabling students to address pertinent issues while still in college,” Chellaboina said.