After 13 years in the US and a McKinsey career, this doctor chooses to come home to India- Here's why
A former McKinsey associate partner has opened up about walking away from a high-flying American career to return to India, saying no major life decision is ever ‘purely professional’ — it's personal, political and professional all at once.
Dr Neeraja Nagarajan, a McKinsey associate partner, has returned to India after 13 years of a successful career in the United States. In a LinkedIn post, she shared her reasons for leaving the United States, where she had studied at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and worked at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She explained that she didn't listen to the advice of her mentors and well-meaning friends who advised her to stay.
Dr Nagarajan's career took a significant turn during her time at McKinsey, where she learned how to convert good ideas into real outcomes. She credited the firm for teaching her the mechanics of real-world decision-making and for its focus on building teams of exceptional individuals who achieve extraordinary results together. Despite the initial skepticism, Dr Nagarajan kept her Indian passport throughout her time abroad and made it clear that her long-term plan was to return home.
Her decision to move back was influenced by a mix of factors, including her desire to build something meaningful that widens access to healthcare in India, her connection to the Tamil language, and the inspiration she draws from the leaders she works with. Today, she is applying her expertise in public health and consulting to the healthcare sector in Chennai, staying rooted while still building for the world.
Written by urgent.news from Live Mint's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
