IIT tag, dream US job and a ‘perfect’ life: But he left it all for one unexpected reason. 'I traded 4 BHK for the entire world'

In a time when high-paying corporate jobs and settled lives are often seen as the end goal, one IIT graduate’s story is making people pause and think a bit. A post shared by Humans of Bombay tells the story of a man who had what many would call a “dream life” but chose to walk away from it. According to the post, the man graduated from IIT and moved to the US, where his career steadily grew. By the age of 38, he had reached a senior position as a Director at First Republic Bank, with a salary that most people would aspire to.

He described that phase saying, “In 2003, I was an IIT grad with a ‘perfect’ life in the US. By 38, I was a Director at First Republic Bank, earning a salary most only dream of.”

But despite the success, something felt off for a long time. He shared, “But inside, for ten years, I felt like I was stuck in a loop, chasing titles that didn’t feed my soul.”

The decision that changed everything

After years of feeling stuck, he decided to take a step that many would find difficult to even consider. In 2013, he quit his job, sold his 4 BHK house, and left to travel the world with just one backpack.

Explaining that turning point, he said, “So, in 2013, I did the unthinkable. I quit. I sold my house and left for a world tour with a single backpack.”

What followed was a long solo journey across countries and cultures. “For 18 months, I wandered through 35 countries alone – from the mountains of Russia to the deserts of Egypt. I knew no one, and for the first time, I finally knew myself,” he shared.

A chance meeting that became a life partner

During his travels, one unexpected moment changed his life again. In Montenegro, he met Kathy, an Austrian social worker. Recalling that meeting, he said, “We spoke for 10 minutes, and for the next 10 days, we spent every second together.”

Even when they tried to part ways, it didn’t last. “We actually agreed to stop talking to avoid ‘emotional entanglement.’ That lasted exactly two days. The silence was unbearable,” he said.

Kathy later took a long bus journey just to meet him again, something he describes as a defining moment. Eventually, he brought her to India, introduced her to his family, and the couple got married in 2016.

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Raising a family on the road

What makes their story different is not just travel, but how they chose to build a life around it. For over a decade now, they have been travelling together and raising their three children on the road. He explained their approach saying, “Along this journey, we’ve raised three children entirely on the road.”

Their lifestyle is simple and unconventional. “They were all natural births, raised without diapers or conventional medicine. We homeschool them using the Vedas and Upanishads alongside NCERT books,” he shared.

Today, the family does not own a house or a car. They stay in homestays and rely on income from investments in India to sustain their lifestyle. When asked about leaving behind stability, he had a clear answer. “People ask if I miss the ‘security’ of my old life. I just smile.”

Summing up his journey in one line, he said, “I traded 4 BHK for the entire world. We’re living life king-size.”