‘I can breathe without checking AQI’: Mumbai entrepreneur moves to Bangkok, sparks debate on India’s ‘quality of life’

Rikki Agarwal, co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Blink Digital, took to LinkedIn with a reflective post about a move he had been contemplating for years.

Mumbai entrepreneur moves to Bangkok, India quality of life

Agarwal said he isn’t abandoning India, just choosing a place where simple, healthy living isn’t hard

A Mumbai-based entrepreneur has triggered a lively debate online after revealing why he decided to leave India and start a new chapter in Thailand for a better quality of life.

Rikki Agarwal, co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Blink Digital, took to LinkedIn with a reflective post about a move he had been contemplating for years. “Life Update: After 5 years of thinking about it, I moved from Mumbai to Bangkok… For something much simpler: I wanted to live better,” he wrote.

In his post, Agarwal revisited his journey, from growing up in Sikkim to building his career in Mumbai. He credited the city for shaping almost every part of his adult life, but admitted that hitting 40 brought a tough realisation. While India had given him ample opportunity to grow professionally, he felt it no longer offered the environment he needed for a healthy daily life. “My routine in Bangkok is the same. Gym. Office. Home,” he said, adding that what truly changed was the world around him.

According to Agarwal, Bangkok offered what Mumbai no longer could: breathable air without checking AQI, genuinely fresh food, uninterrupted sleep, and reliable public services. “Money that improves my life instead of compensating for broken systems,” he wrote, emphasising that his move wasn’t an escape but a step towards a more balanced life. “This decision wasn’t running away. It was about growing up.”

Check out the post:

Agarwal clarified that he is not turning his back on India but simply choosing a place where “wanting a healthy, simple life” is not a struggle. He ended with a question that struck a chord with many: If given the chance, would you leave Mumbai for a better lifestyle?

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The post sparked strong reactions. A LinkedIn user wrote, “It’s not only Mumbai, but even Delhi and its surroundings and most of other cities have become unlivable. Time to seek and beg tech transfer from China on how they solved these issues. Let’s just ask a simple question to ourselves. Given a chance, how many of us would leave the country for cleaner air? I guess everybody. Isnt this alarming enough to focus on the quality of life instead of elections and GDP.”

Another user commented, “Mumbai is incredible for ambition, but not always for well-being. Choosing a place that supports the life you want isn’t running away — it’s just being honest with yourself. Respect the clarity.”

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A third user commented, “This is such an inspiring move, Rikki. I completely agree — a better lifestyle is worth chasing. All the best!”

A fourth individual added, “The way you describe your new lifestyle resonates deeply. Sometimes, the best pivot is about creating a life that nurtures more than just ambition. Wishing you continued success and happiness in Bangkok.”