Standing in the middle of a family gathering during your annual India visit, you can almost hear the whispers: “Guess who’s back – the one who’s living everyone’s ‘dream’ life abroad!” To the aunties and uncles eyeing your suitcase, you’re not a person anymore – you’re a treasure chest of imported chocolates, gadgets, and green bills. NRIs are often seen as the epitome of success, but little do they know that behind the glossy Instagram photos and foreign currencies lies a heart that aches for the land we left behind.
But what cuts through all that jest and jibe is a reality that only an NRI can understand – a heart that longs for the precious little moments lost and distances that can never be narrowed.
Every year, on the 9th of January, the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas celebrates us – the Indian diaspora. This day is a reminder of the inevitable ties that bond home with all its wanderers, as it marks the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.
We are known as free souls, and ties of broken bind all these dreams. There are many festivals missed, family emergencies where we could do little but hastily pick up the phone, and the internal embarrassment of being unable to be there when it mattered most. Sure, we bring a few goodies and gifts, but not out of obligation – this is how one eases one’s guilt over passing up those few moments.
If a phone comes out of a pocket or a box of chocolates gets emptied into one’s hands, it’s not merely a present but more like an apology behind the scenes for the lost birthdays, weddings, and Diwalis. It almost serves as a comfort to laughter and teasing about our “foreign” ways, another means by which we are attached to family from whom we’ve been away for so long.
Being an NRI often feels like living in two worlds. Abroad, we’re labelled as outsiders, forever explaining where we’re “really” from. Back home, we’re seen as different – changed by our time away, yet still tethered to the traditions and memories that shaped us. It’s a strange dance of belonging everywhere and nowhere at once.
Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas isn’t just a day to celebrate NRIs; it’s a reminder of the sacrifices, the resilience, and the unbreakable bond with our roots. Like Gandhiji, who returned to serve his nation, we, too, dream of returning – not just physically but emotionally – to the home that shaped us.
Because no matter how far we wander, nothing feels more liberating than knowing where we truly belong.
Home isn’t just a place; it’s a feeling we carry, waiting for the day we can finally set it down and say, “I’m back, for good.“
– Amrin Sathar
About The Author
Amrin Sathar is a mom blogger with a deep passion for creativity and writing. As a Digital Strategist & Platform Manager at StoryScrapers, she plays an integral role in shaping content and driving the platform’s growth. Alongside her work at StoryScrapers, she also freelances and loves to learn new things, sharing her knowledge and experiences with others through her writing and creative projects.
Very well written. Full of emotions and love for the Nation, for the people.
Thank you so much, dearest 💖
Nice write up. More than this there is always a fear of cultural shock that the first generation NRI’s experience.
Totally agreed, Ma’am. Thank you so much!