'Stop mourning the H-1B': Shark Tank's Anupam Mittal says India is finally collecting interest on its brain drain

A New Perspective on India's Tech Talent Migration

The narrative surrounding Indian tech professionals working abroad has undergone a significant shift in recent years. What was once viewed as a permanent loss of talent to Western nations is now being reconsidered as a temporary departure with promising returns. Anupam Mittal, the influential Shark Tank India judge and founder of Shaadi.com, has articulated this changing dynamic through a compelling metaphor: India's brain drain was never a permanent loss, but rather a loan that the nation is finally collecting interest on. This perspective challenges the conventional wisdom that has dominated discussions about Indian tech talent for decades, suggesting that the traditional pathway to success—securing an H-1B visa and a US Green Card—no longer represents the pinnacle of career achievement.

The H-1B Fee Hike as a Catalyst for Change

Recent developments in US immigration policy have accelerated this shift in thinking. The Trump administration's introduction of a steep $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications has sent ripples through the global tech industry, with India's IT sector particularly affected. The Indian technology industry derives the majority of its revenue from the United States, making US work visa programs like the H-1B crucial for deploying skilled professionals on-site and supporting outsourcing contracts. This policy shift, while presenting challenges for Indian firms, has paradoxically opened doors for India's domestic tech ecosystem. Rather than viewing this development as a crisis, Mittal frames it as an "involuntary gift" for India's growing technology sector. The increased costs and uncertainty surrounding H-1B visas are pushing talented professionals to reconsider their career trajectories and explore opportunities within India itself.

From Brain Drain to Brain Gain

Mittal's own journey exemplifies this transformation. After studying and working in the United States during the dot-com boom, he made the difficult decision to return to India in the early 2000s when the country's internet infrastructure was struggling. This choice required surrendering his US green card, a process he has described as emotionally challenging and financially costly, involving an approximately 30 percent exit tax on global wealth. Despite these obstacles, Mittal has gone on to build Shaadi.com into a successful enterprise, invest in over 300 startups, and become a prominent figure in India's entrepreneurial landscape. His experience demonstrates that remaining in the United States would have likely confined him to a stable but ultimately limited role, whereas returning to India provided the chaos, hunger, and freedom necessary for substantial growth and innovation.

If you can, come back home and build. India is as messy as ever, but that's where growth lies.

Other prominent industry figures have echoed similar sentiments. Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, has also encouraged Indian tech professionals to return home, particularly in light of the H-1B visa fee increases. Vembu, who himself worked in the United States before returning to build Zoho into a global SaaS leader, suggests that the current visa turmoil represents a turning point for Indian talent. He emphasizes that India today offers far more opportunities than it did in the past, and those willing to make the bold move to return will ultimately strengthen themselves through the process of rebuilding their lives and careers in their home country.

The Changing Landscape of Opportunity

The transformation in India's business environment cannot be overstated. What was once a developing market with limited infrastructure and opportunities has evolved into what many now describe as the world's playground for entrepreneurship and innovation. The country's growing global significance, combined with its expanding digital economy and increasing venture capital activity, has created an attractive ecosystem for tech professionals. The resumes landing in the inboxes of Indian companies today reflect a fundamental shift in the game. Talent that once migrated westward is now actively choosing to stay or return to India, driven not by necessity but by genuine opportunity and the potential for meaningful contribution to the nation's growth story.

The public response to Mittal's perspective has been notably positive. Many observers have praised his reframing of the brain drain narrative, highlighting how top talent is no longer leaving India out of desperation but increasingly choosing to return by choice. However, experts also emphasize the importance of addressing the skills-to-industry gap through continuous reskilling programs, real-world experience opportunities, and fostering a stronger ownership mindset among the workforce. The question that remains is whether this represents a permanent shift in how professionals view their career prospects, or merely a temporary return before the next cycle of global migration begins. What is clear, however, is that the conversation about where ambitious tech professionals should build their careers has fundamentally changed. India is no longer viewed as a stepping stone to Western success, but increasingly as the primary destination for those seeking to participate in one of the world's most dynamic technology ecosystems.