Many Indians, graduates with impressive degrees from top institutions, often move abroad in search of a better life and promising opportunities. But for some, the story takes an unexpected turn. Once in a while, life throws a curveball that changes everything – like losing a stable job and being forced to make ends meet in unexpected ways.
Comedian and actor Vir Das recently shared a story on social media that touched many hearts. While in San Jose, he got into a car driven by an Indian man, clearly new to driving in the bustling city. As they started talking in Hindi, a common language that brought comfort to both, the driver revealed his surprising background.
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He wasn’t just any driver. He was an IIT Mumbai graduate, a scientist with a PhD. Laid off from his job a year ago, he’d taken up driving to make ends meet.
“We talk about America, I say ‘hard work here’, he laughs and nods knowingly. He says ‘tasalli nahin hai’, you can never fully relax, I feel bad. Then he tells me he is a PhD, an IIT Mumbai graduate and a scientist who was laid off a year ago. This explains the driving. He does this to make ends meet. I ask him if he ever thinks of going home, he smiles and says ‘every day’. There’s a sadness to the smile. Like he knows that’s all it will ever be. I imagine he’s knee deep in the system, kids in school, mortgage, insurance….hard to give that all up for….tasalli. I get out of the car. We shake hands, I say ‘good luck with everything’. I walk away,” Vir wrote.
Vir Das was taken aback by the irony — a brilliant mind reduced to a job far below his qualifications. The driver mentioned that despite the opportunities, America lacks tasalli (the ability to fully relax). This conversation stayed with Vir, who later shared how heartbreaking it is to feel like you’re capable of much more than what you’re currently doing.
Have a look at his full post here:
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Sharing their own experiences, several people were reminded how the struggle for stability and the pressure of responsibilities can weigh heavily on even the most talented individuals. Here’s what some had to say:
The hope remains that people like this driver will get a chance to return to the work they are meant to do.