Chapter 1
Big dreams, lots of questions
I was born and brought up in Agra — the city of the Taj Mahal. Like a lot of young Indians, I had big dreams and far more questions than answers about how the world worked.
While I was still a student, I started freelancing online in web development and graphic design. It taught me something early: with the internet, your work doesn’t have to stay where you are.
Chapter 2
A short trip that stayed with me
In February 2016, a friend invited me to Chiang Mai. It was only a short trip. Honestly, I had some culture shock — Northern Thailand felt very different from anything I knew.
But something about the city stayed with me. So I kept coming back. Between 2016 and 2019 I returned several times, and each visit made the connection stronger.
Chapter 3
The moment I knew
In 2019, after spending time in Bangkok, it clicked. Bangkok impressed me as a city — but Chiang Mai felt like home. For the first time, I could actually see myself living there.
When international travel reopened after COVID, I came back in 2021 and made Chiang Mai my base. Years later, it’s still one of the best decisions I’ve made.
“The world is full of opportunities. We just need the right mindset, tools, and location to access them.”
Chapter 4
Building Ownware from Thailand
Those freelance days grew into Ownware Innovative Technologies — a digital services company working with clients overseas, including businesses in the United States. We build websites, run social media, produce video content, manage online ads and PR.
More recently, a big part of my work is helping small businesses use AI in practical ways. I don’t believe the future belongs to AI alone — it belongs to people who learn how to work with it.
Chapter 5
It was never about escaping India
People sometimes assume I left because I didn’t like home. That isn’t true. Moving was about learning — seeing what different countries get right, and building a life with less stress, more nature, better food and a healthier balance between work and life.
I share what I learn here so that others — especially fellow Indians thinking about life abroad — can save time, avoid my mistakes and grow faster.
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