How working abroad gives young Indians a wealth edge back home

Working overseas gives them the advantage to earn in stronger currencies and benefit from exchange rates

- Shipra Singh

s a 27-year-old, Bivin Sonthalia already owns three apartments in Kolkata, two funded by him and the third bought jointly with his brother. He didn't hit a lottery or get a windfall from stock options. The young financial analyst bought these properties with his savings from salary and a loan that he has already repaid. Sonthalia's net worth runs into several crores of rupees, including liquid savings of about ₹l crore, in all of five years of his career. Here's what made this possible. Sonthalia works in Amsterdam and earns in euros. benefitting immensely from the conversion of his earnings from a higher-valued currency to Indian rupees. "I save about 50% of my salary and remit it to India. After converting, the amount comes to Rs 2.5 lakh-3 lakh. Initially, I used to get ecstatic looking at the absolute rupee amount, thinking how long it would take me to save this much working in India," said Sonthalia. But why invest entirely in India? "I was always clear that I would eventually return and, hence, wanted to build wealth here, he added. Sonthalia represents a cohort of young Indian professionals working abroad who get a financial headstart early in their lives by earning and saving in stronger currencies than the rupee. Of course, the benefit of the exchange rate becomes tangible only if these professionals return to India or encash their dollar or euro savings into rupees for big-ticket spends. While this financial advantage helps some build a substantial rupee-based net worth quickly, for others it helps fulfil maj or financial goals early, without the burden of loans. Swiss savings Take the case of Nikhil Nainani, who used savings accumulated during his 3.5-year stint in Switzerland to buy his parents a bigger apartment in Mumbai. Nainani also bought a house in Dubai, where he and his wife Sushma Reddy live after having moved from Switzerland. Both the properties are mortgage-free. "I moved to Switzerland after working five years in India. I used savings from m