'People here are inspiring'

Melting Pot

The comfort of Bengaluru has allured many people to come here. While some come seeking better education, others want to try their luck at getting a better job. Rakesh Jain, who works with Amazon, too came to the City with his wife Rekha and kids Aryan and Aarvi in search of better opportunities. Rakesh and Rekha were raised in Dimapur, Nagaland and their forefathers are from Rajasthan.

Before coming to the City, Rajesh and his family were in Pune. “We also have a house there. I decided to move to the City because I liked the booming start-up culture here. The professional network is also great here,” says Rajesh. The family, which has been here for almost six years, says that the City is cosmopolitan in nature. “It is a vibrant city,” says Rajesh. 

The weather is one of the biggest plus points, they feel. “Nothing can beat the climate here,” says Rajesh. He and Rekha say in unison that the people are the best too. “People are open and inviting and no one can feel left out here. We never felt that we were from outside here, be it in terms of culture or language,” says Rajesh. Rekha says that this is one of the few South Indian cities where people communicate in Hindi too.

Nothing was surprising or shocking about Bengaluru, says Rajesh. “I was aware of the place and we knew what to expect. One has to always plan ahead,” he says. The traffic can be a bit of a hassle, he adds.

   Rajesh says that Bengaluru also has a lot of places around where one can go for the weekend. “Be it Bandipur or Ooty, the options are unlimited,” says the adventure-lover.

When he came to the City, many people would ask him about his hometown and not many knew about Dimapur, he recalls. “But they knew where Nagaland was. And they were aware of the scenic beauty of the North-East and the mountain ranges there. Others wanted to know how safe it was over there,” he says.

The couple agree that people here respect women and it is a safe place to live in. “Whenever I have gone out in the mornings or late evenings, I have always had a pleasant experience,” says Rekha. She adds. “People here are inspiring. I always feel like doing something more, like going for German classes or teaching at a montessori.”

“This is a great place for kids,” say the couple together. Bengaluru is becoming an educational hub and the couple agree that they are happy that the kids are growing up here. There are more options for children,” says Rajesh.

Their children, Aryan and Aarvi, say that they love their school, DPS (East). “I have a big circle of friends here and they are very supportive. My school is excellent and has a good balance of academics and sports,” says the 11-year-old Aryan. He feels that Bengaluru is a good place to stay in. He adds, “The exposure to everything is great here. You get to meet new people who are from different parts of the country.” Eight-year-old Aarvi, feels that the City is a comfortable place. “It’s a fun place to stay in,” she says. She adds that the teachers in her school are kind. Rajesh recollects that the family was a bit apprehensive about moving to the City but now, they wouldn’t want to move anywhere else. “We have settled in well. Bengaluru has been very kind to us,” he sums up.