Bengaluru over Canada? Canadian content creator reveals why he made the decision to move to India

At a time when many Indians are heading abroad in search of better opportunities and comfort, a Canadian man has taken a different route—by making Bengaluru his home for the past eight years.

In a now-viral Instagram video, Caleb Friesen, a Canadian content creator and father, shares why he left Canada for India in his early twenties. His decision, he explains, wasn’t based on career goals or strategy, but stemmed from something deeply personal — a desire for what he describes as “passive growth.”

“It’s the kind of growth that doesn’t require a plan. It just happens when you change your environment,” Friesen said in the clip.


Watch video here

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Caleb Friesen (@caleb_friesen)

Friesen says he wanted to become more resilient, mentally and emotionally. “I wanted to be in a place where growth was unavoidable,” he says. That place, for him, was India. The discomfort of adjusting to a new culture, climate, and way of life pushed him to evolve — not by design, but by default.

He recalls a pivotal moment from his youth — a 40-day fast during which he survived only on water and air. While he lost 18 kilograms, he gained what he describes as a life-changing insight: “When you commit, growth can happen — even without action.”

This concept of growth through endurance — what he terms “passive growth” — has shaped many of his life choices, from moving to India to embracing fatherhood. He sees parenting as another form of this quiet evolution. “My son continues to exist, and so does my growth,” he says.

How did people react?
A user wrote, “That's a totally new dimension to define passive growth.”

"I am moving out of my house too it's inspiring to hear your story I hope I will also grow as a person," another user wrote on Instagram.

"Thanks for this, it really inspired me," the third user commented.