“From earning INR 14 lakh to being a waiter…”: An Indian-origin businessman talks about the “sad reality of studying abroad”

In a recent podcast episode with host Vinamri Kasana, Dev Mitra, the Indian-origin founder of a Canadian-based consulting firm, spoke about his difficult journey from student life to entrepreneurship. Mitra, who currently works as a partner at a business management consulting firm, shared his insights on his experiences as an international student and the sacrifices he made to pursue his education abroad.

Mitra, who left a lucrative corporate job where he was earning Rs 14 lakh, took up the role of a waiter to support himself while studying. “The sad reality of being a student studying abroad!” Cassana noted while sharing a snippet of their conversation. The two discussed Mitra’s transition to life in Canada, where he has lived for the past six years, and touched on topics such as safety and the challenges of racism faced by the Indian community.

In the podcast, Mitra explained the financial pressures of managing student loans while balancing work and study. He stressed the difficult decisions he made in order to achieve his goals, which reflected the flexibility required to follow his path.

The podcast elicited mixed reactions from viewers, with some expressing admiration for Mitra’s determination, while others criticized his complaints about working as a waiter, suggesting he was aware of the challenges before moving on.

One user commented, “It happened but we will never see it again. Whatever your profession, all jobs deserve respect. People like you are the main reason why one job is above the other. All work deserves respect.” So, if you put your ego aside and say I worked hard and learned the hard way, all jobs deserve respect!

Another user commented, opposing the businessman’s reaction, saying: “You are not the only one my friend, there are thousands with the same stories across the UK, Canada, US and Australia.”

Mitra’s educational journey began at Bishop Cotton School and Ahlcon Public School, and she then obtained her LLB from the University of Calcutta and her LLM from the University of New South Wales, Australia. He began his career as a paralegal at CPA Global and held various roles at Huron Consulting Group, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and ByteX before founding Matrix Venture Studio, a boutique consulting firm, in 2021.