Harsh Goenka, the industrialist and chairman of the RPG Group, recently stirred up a conversation online with a tongue-in-cheek take on the Indian expat lifestyle. His post, intended as satire, highlighted some of the ironies he sees in how Indians abroad live. Though some netizens found it hilarious, others did not quite appreciate the joke. “Indians move abroad to eat overpriced butter chicken from a Punjabi with a fake Italian accent,” Goenka began, setting the tone for a series of witty observations. From shelling out more on haldi and hing than a bottle of wine to chewing quinoa while craving golgappas, he painted a vivid picture of the diaspora's sometimes conflicted cultural experience. He poked fun at the glamorization of Indian festivals overseas, quipping, “Celebrate Diwali like it’s the Met Gala – minus celebs, plus aunties in Swarovski sarees.” He also jabbed at the social patterns of Indian communities abroad: “Make only Indian friends and discuss how ‘things are better back home.” His final line wrapped up the satire with a punch: “Form a WhatsApp group called Desi Squad. And then save up in dollars just to fly back and tell their parents how amazing life is over there.” Check out the post: Indians move abroad to… Eat overpriced butter chicken from a Punjabi with a fake Italian accent. Buy haldi and hing that costs more than a bottle of wine. Miss golgappas while chewing on sad quinoa. Celebrate Diwali like it’s the Met Gala—minus celebs, plus aunties in Swarovski… — Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) April 17, 2025 While a section of the internet chuckled in agreement, many pushed back against Goenka’s portrayal, calling him tone-deaf and dismissive of real-life struggles. A user countered, “Not true. Not everyone is born with a golden spoon and established businesses. People who are deprived of meritocracy in India get recognised in other countries for what they are truly worth. No termite like corruption ‘abroad’. Better standards of living, running water. Good roads.” Another added, “They just want some basic facilities, sir. Clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, public parks to walk in without dodging garbage, accessible healthcare without bribery, and the dignity of decent pay with a worklife balance. They’re not abandoning their Indianness; they’re just seeking a better quality of life. Provide those things here, and trust me, no one’s lining up at VFS for a visa. Yes, they might eat overpriced butter chicken and celebrate Diwali with Swarovski, but scratch the surface, and you’ll see it’s just an attempt to hold on to home in a foreign land. Because no matter how many quinoa salads they eat, every desi abroad still smiles a little wider when they smell fresh jalebis or hear Lata Mangeshkar at a random corner shop.” A third person wrote, “I am surprised a much-traveled gentleman like you posting this.” A fourth individual quipped, “NRIs used to be called as "Non-Reliable-Indians. Now they are called "Nostalgic Relatives of India.” Goenka’s post also came not long after he supported Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who faced criticism over comments aimed at Indian startups. He had also recently defended Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy’s suggestion of a 70-hour workweek, saying it was less of a directive and more of a “directional” nudge.
