This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Astha Chaturvedi, 38, the founder of Mouri Living. Her words have been edited for length and clarity.
After a decade in Big Tech and at McKinsey, I was working at Ripple in San Francisco when I decided to build my own startup.
I traveled to India in 2024 to hire a CTO. While I was there, a cousin suggested I open an office in India, pointing out that the startup ecosystem was booming. That sent my husband and me down a rabbit hole of exploring a move.
We’d spent about 15 years building our lives in the US, but there was still no clear path to permanence. My husband and I were both waiting for green cards, and the backlog felt endless. His place in line dated back to 2015, while mine was from 2020.
I had always wanted to start my own company, but I couldn’t do so while on an H-1B visa because my work authorization was tied to a sponsoring employer.
To pursue that dream, I switched to an H-4 dependent visa through my husband. Once I became eligible for an H-4 EAD, which gave me work authorization, I finally had the flexibility to launch my business.
We’ve always been risk-takers
Planning a change that drastic wasn’t too hard. Fifteen years earlier, when we had bought a house in Austin and were married, people thought we were settled.
But three years later, in 2016, we sold it and moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Chicago so I could pursue an MBA. Our thinking was similar back then; we would rely on our savings. It kept us afloat for nearly two years.
I’m from Jaipur, in northwestern India, and my husband is from Vishakhapatnam, a coastal city in the south. We met in the US.
Having grown up largely in the US, we were initially apprehensive about work culture and corporate life in Bengaluru. After several discussions with people, it became clear that when you are the boss, you get to have a lot under your control.
Divide and conquer
I traveled to Bengaluru at the beginning of the year to visit schools and go apartment hunting — leaning on alumni connections.
My husband, Karthik, handled logistics and insurance.
I took care of the house sale in San Francisco, decluttering, and setting up our home in India.
The transition was fast. Between February and April, we had moved out.
We had transformed a single-family home near downtown into our three-bedroom, two-bathroom dream home. We sold it for about $2.3 million.
Recently, when our Bengaluru landlord decided to sell the four-bedroom apartment we had rented, it shook us a little because we loved the neighborhood and community. So, we bought it for about $1 million.
It’s tricky to compare the cost of living. India isn’t cheap if you want a premium lifestyle. In fact, quality goods like furniture and electronics can be more expensive than in the US.
But healthcare and household help are much cheaper, so I’ve found that it balances out. Bengaluru is a costly city, but that’s because we budget for a top-end lifestyle.
Everyday realities
Parenting is different here. People in our circle rely more on nannies, though we’ve chosen to stay hands-on with our daughter. I also find that the parenting style is more relaxed here, especially in the early years.
Professionally, everything has aligned well for me. I started off with an AI-led home marketplace but realized the ecosystem wasn’t ready. So I pivoted to building the infrastructure. That led me to manufacturers, and I realized many global brands are made in India. Now I’m building a global luxury home brand.
It’s not all smooth sailing, though. Opening bank accounts and setting up companies has been slow and paperwork-heavy. Managing labor is challenging. I miss the proximity to parks, beaches, and the freeway drives.
Traffic in Bengaluru is a pain, so we’ve chosen to hire a full-time driver to get around. What I don’t miss are chores. Bottom line: We’ve made up for the chaos by investing in support systems.
Moving from San Francisco to Bengaluru began to feel like the right decision when my daughter settled into school and started thriving. At the same time, US immigration uncertainties reinforced our choice.
We left on our own terms
What can really make or break your life is community. For us, that’s been incredible. Our building and school gave us an instant network— we have a social circle of similar families in similar life stages. That’s led to friendships, playdates, and even professional opportunities.
We were concerned about whether our dog — a mini goldendoodle named Mojo — would adjust. In fact, one of the decision factors was that if we couldn’t take him to India, we wouldn’t come. Thankfully, he’s also happy here.
Culturally, I don’t feel a gap at all. India feels more vibrant than the US.
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