She gave up her US Green Card to return to India and build her startup from scratch: Meet Bharathi Ramesh

Nutritionist and entrepreneur Bharathi Ramesh gave up her US Green Card and returned to India after personal loss, health struggles and burnout, choosing to focus on building her startup rather than continue a demanding life in America.

For many Indians who move to the US, securing a Green Card represents years of education, professional work and navigating a complicated immigration process. For nutritionist and entrepreneur Bharathi Ramesh, however, obtaining permanent residency eventually became part of a very different journey.

Why did Bharathi Ramesh give up her US Green Card?

Ramesh has returned to India after giving up her US Green Card to build her startup, a decision she recently explained in a series of social media posts. Her story has drawn attention because she walked away from a status that many immigrants spend years trying to secure.

Ramesh moved to the US in 2020 to pursue a master’s degree, with the aim of understanding how research could be applied to nutrition practice. She later secured an EB-2 National Interest Waiver and an EB-1A Green Card, which she said gave her greater immigration flexibility as she worked towards becoming an entrepreneur.

The EB-1A category is intended for people who can demonstrate extraordinary ability in areas including the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. Ramesh said her Green Card was approved under that category in nutrition.

Yet the achievement did not resolve the conflict between the life she had built in the US and what she actually wanted to do.

In her account, Ramesh said she was working full-time largely to cover basic expenses such as rent and health insurance while wanting to devote her time to her startup. She was also dealing with health problems and the pressure that came with maintaining a demanding career.

The personal loss that triggered it all

Ramesh said she lost a parent just as she was preparing to take the entrepreneurial leap. She described herself as a “compulsive high performer” and said that, after years of relentlessly pursuing her goals, she eventually “crashed”. It took her eight months, she said, to find herself again.

That period changed the calculation. Rather than continuing to maintain her life in the US while trying to build a company on the side, Ramesh decided to move back to India. She discussed the decision with her husband, who supported her and eventually moved back with her.

Her return is also tied directly to the company she is now building. On LinkedIn, Ramesh describes her venture as an Indian platform focused on connecting users with qualified nutrition and mental-health professionals.

She has said the business is being built around giving users more choice while allowing professionals to retain a larger share of their earnings.

The decision was not entirely sudden. Ramesh previously said that more than 1,200 Indian immigrants had signed up for a podcast conversation about how she obtained her Green Card in less than two years. Her immigration journey itself had become something she shared with other Indians navigating life in the US.

Now, that journey has taken her in the opposite direction. Ramesh said she is finally able to identify herself as a founder. Her decision does not suggest that leaving the US is the right choice for others; it reflects how personal circumstances, professional ambitions and the demands of building a company shaped her own decision to start again in India.

About the Author

Trisha Bhattacharya is a Senior Content Producer at Livemint, with over two years of experience covering entertainment news from India and beyond. She spends her days tracking what’s trending, breaking down pop culture moments, and turning fast-moving entertainment stories into sharp, engaging reads that actually make people want to click — and stay. <br> She holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Lucknow University, a background that shapes her love for layered narratives, strong voices, and stories that linger long after they’re told. Before joining Livemint, Trisha worked with India Today as an entertainment journalist and film critic. There, she reviewed films, covered industry news, and built a strong foundation in storytelling and cultural analysis. <br> Trisha enjoys working at the intersection of media, culture, and audience interest, always looking for fresh angles and formats. Films, shows, and music are not just her beat but her biggest passion — something that naturally reflects in her writing. Whether it’s cinema, streaming shows, music, or internet trends, she approaches every story with curiosity and intent. <br> Outside the job description, she’s unapologetically passionate about films, shows, and music — sometimes a little too passionate, if you ask her. That enthusiasm often spills into her work, adding personality, urgency, and a touch of chaos that keeps her writing alive. For Trisha, entertainment isn’t just a beat — it’s a language she speaks fluently.

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