INTHEBLACK February 2024 - Magazine - Page 37
AT A GLANCE
India has one of
the fastest-growing
economies in
the world.
It is underpinned by a
growing middle class
and technological
advancement.
Trade cooperation
and partnerships
are key for business
success.
WEALTH OF
POTENTIAL
A fast-growing economy and a digital revolution
that is quickly gathering pace have put India on a
path to financial success that few countries can
hope to emulate.
Words Cameron Cooper
For almost three decades, Praba Santhanakrishnan chased
the “American dream” as an Indian expatriate, carving out a stellar career
as a software engineer with Microsoft. This included playing a key
development role with Microsoft’s famed Xbox gaming platform.
Today, the data science guru is relishing work and life in Chennai,
capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The return to his
home country was motivated by a similar reason to the one that led
Santhanakrishnan to the US – India is the new “land of opportunity”.
“The reason I left India in the 1990s and went to the US was all about
jobs, money and other prospects,” says Santhanakrishnan, the CEO and
co-founder of Cookr, an app for homemade food deliveries that connects
time-poor consumers with talented home chefs.
“Now the trend is completely changing. People are coming back to India
from the US to work, to start a business and for many other opportunities.”
Santhanakrishnan is representative of the “brain drain” reversal that is
occurring, as gifted, financially secure Indian expats return to one of the
world’s economic powerhouses.
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