For most people, a US green card is the ultimate safety net—a ticket to stability, respect, and comfort. But for Anupam Mittal, Shark Tank India investor and serial entrepreneur and founder of Shaadi.com, holding onto that ticket was holding him back. After years of wrestling with the emotional and legal challenges of giving up his US residency, he chose chaos over comfort, hunger over security, and India over the Valley—and it changed everything.
Giving up a green card wasn’t easy. Mittal recalls twice visiting the embassy, only to walk out shaken after officers told him nobody his age ever makes this choice. It took five years, countless discussions with lawyers, and sheer persistence before he finally let go. And there was a hefty price: a 30% “exit tax” on global wealth, not income. Luckily, at the time, he had little to surrender—but that very act of burning his Plan B became the catalyst for everything he would go on to build.
If he had stayed in the US, he admits, he’d likely have become a VP of Product in Silicon Valley—respectable, but replaceable. Returning to India meant embracing uncertainty, hunger, and freedom. That bold choice fueled the growth of his companies, over 300 startups, and Shark Tank India, while giving him the space to build himself along the way. Mittal’s message is simple: if you can, come back and build in India. Yes, it’s messy, chaotic, and unpredictable—but that’s where the growth, freedom, and real opportunity lie.
Internet reacts
One user, an international student in the US, shared that they are planning to move back to India with a strong mindset to build something meaningful. Whenever they visit the US, they compare and analyse the gaps between the two countries, thinking about the problems India faces and how they could solve them.
Another noted that having a PAN card with purpose and freedom at home feels far more empowering than holding a green card tied with restrictions.
Several readers said the story made the H1B experience easier to understand, highlighting that while it’s often seen as a mark of success, it can also be limiting. Others found the story inspiring but acknowledged the difficulty of finding new opportunities or starting something in India, recognising both the truth and challenges of the journey.
Giving up a green card wasn’t easy. Mittal recalls twice visiting the embassy, only to walk out shaken after officers told him nobody his age ever makes this choice. It took five years, countless discussions with lawyers, and sheer persistence before he finally let go. And there was a hefty price: a 30% “exit tax” on global wealth, not income. Luckily, at the time, he had little to surrender—but that very act of burning his Plan B became the catalyst for everything he would go on to build.
If he had stayed in the US, he admits, he’d likely have become a VP of Product in Silicon Valley—respectable, but replaceable. Returning to India meant embracing uncertainty, hunger, and freedom. That bold choice fueled the growth of his companies, over 300 startups, and Shark Tank India, while giving him the space to build himself along the way. Mittal’s message is simple: if you can, come back and build in India. Yes, it’s messy, chaotic, and unpredictable—but that’s where the growth, freedom, and real opportunity lie.
Internet reacts
One user, an international student in the US, shared that they are planning to move back to India with a strong mindset to build something meaningful. Whenever they visit the US, they compare and analyse the gaps between the two countries, thinking about the problems India faces and how they could solve them.
Another noted that having a PAN card with purpose and freedom at home feels far more empowering than holding a green card tied with restrictions.
Several readers said the story made the H1B experience easier to understand, highlighting that while it’s often seen as a mark of success, it can also be limiting. Others found the story inspiring but acknowledged the difficulty of finding new opportunities or starting something in India, recognising both the truth and challenges of the journey.
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