A social media post about a 33-year-old Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) graduate who decided to take an early retirement from his lucrative job in London and move back to Delhi has gone viral online. The man, whose identity was not disclosed but claimed to be an alumnus of IIT, shared his unconventional move on Reddit. In his post, he cited six main reasons for his early retirement, which were also highlighted in a post that went viral after being shared by X (formerly Twitter) user Debarghya Das.
"33yo single IITian working in London moves back to "retire" in Delhi after -$1.5-2.5M in savings, or Rs 12-20cr," the X user wrote. He also revealed the six biggest reasons behind the Reddit user's decision. These reasons include a desire to be closer to his parents, the convenience of having house help, the lower cost of living in India compared to the United Kingdom, a diminishing social life abroad, a bearish outlook on the UK economy and the prospect of an arranged marriage in India.
FIREd by 33. My straightforward story to an early retirement
byu/Burner_123_123_123 inFIRE_Ind
According to the Reddit post, the 33-year-old's journey began with a degree from IIT Delhi in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science, which he completed in 2012. He then worked as a quantitative analyst for an investment bank in Bengaluru for four years before moving to London, where he continued in the banking sector for another five years, followed by approximately two years in the tech industry. Throughout his 11-year career, his total compensation (TC) saw significant growth, starting at Rs 35L in 2013 and reaching 350K GBP by 2023, the post read.
Further, the man said that once he decided to return to India, he calculated his annual expenses. "I decided I will live with my parents for some time, as I hadn't lived with them for the last 15 years, and don't know when I will get an opportunity like this again. Due to this, my burn rate is currently lower than X (0.25-0.5X)," he explained. The man said that his recurring expenses included transportation, dining out and gym membership, with occasional costs for travel and personal projects.
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The man also emphasised the importance of prioritising health and relationships over wealth in his current lifestyle. He said that looking ahead, he has set long-term goals for his life in India, such as finding a partner, starting a family and ambitiously aiming to adopt 1000 children. "I'm opening myself to new ideas and experiences. I will let genuine interest and the feeling of meaning and purpose guide me," he wrote.
Meanwhile, on social media, the IITian's story received mixed reactions. "If health is a big concern, then the air quality in Delhi is the real elephant in the room," wrote one user. "Very much possible. His thought process is very much practical and am not at all surprised by the choice to focus on health and relationships," commented another.
