What Bengaluru techie posted
In a post shared one day ago on X, Ashish Jha, a solutions engineer at DevRev, wrote that his friend chose not to join a remote job that would have paid him 75,000 USD — which is approximately ₹67 lakh per annum.
He explained that his friend is a Technical Support Engineer with four years of experience who is currently working for a mid-sized AI startup. His salary is ₹48 lakh per annum.
Despite the fact that his salary would have increased significantly if he had joined the remote job, the techie opted to continue with his current role as he did not want to give up the office perks he enjoyed.
“Friend got a 75k USD remote offer and rejected it to continue his current 48 LPA role in a mid-sized AI startup because of office perks,” Jha revealed on X.
A debate over remote work
As Jha’s post gained traction, many people expressed disbelief that a person would give up the opportunity to earn a significantly higher salary while working comfortably from home.
(Also read: Indian techie says ₹1 crore salary is the new norm, internet weighs in)
“Only possibility he’s crushing over a colleague because there’s no other office perk that can’t be reproduced with a 20 lakh increment in salary,” X user Aditi opined.Another user called it the “fumble of the year”.
“This is a clickbait for engagement farming. No way someone with 4 yrs of exp is getting paid that much in a startup,” a user said. To this, Jha replied: “You are just unaware with how much engineers are getting paid in good startups and even MNCs.”
Asked what perks his friend was enjoying, the Bengaluru-based techie said, “Just the usual food and travel perks. Nothing out of the blue.”# Techie Turns Down $75,000 Remote US Job, Continues with ₹48 LPA Role Because...
In the high-stakes world of tech careers, where six-figure salaries and global opportunities are the norm, one Bengaluru-based engineer's decision has turned heads and sparked a fiery online debate. With just four years of experience as a Technical Support Engineer at a mid-sized AI startup, he was earning a solid ₹48 lakhs per annum (LPA)—already impressive by Indian standards. Then came the offer: a remote role with a US company paying $75,000 annually, which translates to roughly ₹62-65 lakhs (depending on exchange rates). That's a 30% bump, in dollars no less, with the flexibility of working from anywhere. Yet, he said no. Why? Office perks. Yes, you read that right—the allure of in-office goodies outweighed the dollar signs.
This story, shared by Ashish Jha, a Solutions Engineer at DevRev, on X (formerly Twitter), has racked up over 3,400 likes and 240,000 views in less than 48 hours. It's a tale that's equal parts baffling and relatable, forcing us to question: In the pursuit of "more," what are we really willing to give up?
## The Story Unfolds: From Offer to Rejection
Ashish's post was blunt and emoji-punctuated: "Friend got a 75k USD remote offer and rejected it to continue his current 48 LPA role in a mid-sized AI startup because of office perks. 🤦🏻" Posted on November 29, 2025, it quickly went viral, amplified by outlets like NDTV, Hindustan Times, and InShorts. The anonymous techie, based in India's Silicon Valley, had built a comfortable groove at his startup. Four years in, ₹48 LPA felt rewarding—not just for the paycheck, but for the ecosystem around it.
The US offer? Tempting on paper. Remote work means no commute through Bengaluru's notorious traffic, potential tax perks under Section 44ADA for freelancers (which allows presumptive taxation at 50% of income), and that sweet foreign currency buffer against inflation. But here's the kicker: he couldn't let go of the office life. While specifics on *his* perks weren't spilled (Ashish kept it vague, fueling the speculation), the tech world knows the drill. We're talking free gourmet meals, on-site gyms, nap pods, subsidized cab rides home, and—perhaps most undervalued—the water-cooler chats that spark ideas (or at least make the day less monotonous).
In a follow-up reply, Ashish hinted at the psychology: "He knows [about tax benefits]. But harder for some people to spend extra money that they saved on themselves than when someone else does it for them." Translation: Company-funded perks feel like "free money," while a fatter salary might just mean higher personal spending guilt. It's the classic "all-you-can-eat buffet" vs. "grocery shopping" dilemma.
## Why Office Perks Trump Dollars: A Deeper Dive
Let's break it down. In an era where remote work exploded post-pandemic, offices have had to up their game to lure talent back. For this techie, the perks weren't just nice-to-haves—they were non-negotiables. Here's why they might have sealed the deal:
| Perk Category | Examples in Tech Offices | Why It Beats Remote Cash |
|---------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
| **Food & Wellness** | Unlimited snacks, chef-cooked lunches, in-house yoga/gym | Saves ₹10,000-20,000/month on meals and fitness apps; boosts energy without extra effort. |
| **Convenience** | Company cabs, laundry services, childcare tie-ups | Eliminates the "remote fatigue" of self-managing logistics—think no more DoorDash decisions at 2 AM. |
| **Social & Structure** | Team-building events, casual collaborations, "forced fun" Fridays | Combats isolation; studies show office workers report 20-30% higher job satisfaction from serendipitous interactions (per Gallup data). |
| **Growth Perks** | Mentorship sessions, free courses (e.g., Coursera), hackathon stipends | Accelerates career without dipping into your own wallet—priceless for a mid-level engineer. |
Sure, $75K could buy all that *and* a fancy home setup. But as one X user quipped, "Only possibility he’s crushing over a colleague because there’s no other office perk that can’t be reproduced with a 20L increment in salary lol." Half-joke, half-truth: Human connection isn't easily monetized.
## The Backlash and Broader Debate: Money Talks, But Does It Listen?
Not everyone's buying it. The post ignited a storm of reactions, from eye-rolls to existential rants:
- **The Skeptics:** "What perks he gets and what type of Role is it?" one user demanded, echoing the chorus of disbelief. For Technical Support Engineers, ₹48 LPA is elite-tier (Ashish shot back: "Achhe startups dete hai"—good startups pay well). Others grilled the math: Why forgo dollars amid India's rising costs?
- **The Defenders:** A vocal minority celebrated the choice. "48LPA is way better than living like a filth in a foreign land," one commenter fired back at Ashish, prioritizing quality of life over quantity of pay. It taps into the "Great Resignation" hangover—burnout from remote isolation is real, with 40% of workers reporting loneliness in WFH setups (per Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index).
- **The Philosophers:** "Seeing Pakages at X, I always think how much I have lagged behind," lamented another, highlighting the FOMO (fear of missing out) that plagues tech Twitter. Even Ashish got meta: "Just because they're my friend, doesnt mean I have to agree with all their life decisions."
This isn't isolated. Similar stories pop up—like the Gurgaon techie who ditched a ₹45 LPA Bengaluru gig for lower pay but better work-life balance. It's a reminder: In tech, where burnout claims 70% of professionals (per 2024 Deloitte surveys), perks aren't fluff—they're survival tools.
## Final Thoughts: Redefining "Success" in Tech
This Bengaluru techie's "no" to $75K isn't folly; it's a manifesto. In a field obsessed with ladders to climb, he's choosing the view from the plateau. Sure, the money could fund a Tesla or early retirement, but at what cost to sanity? As remote work evolves, companies are doubling down on hybrid perks—think Google’s $75M campus revamp or Microsoft’s "work anywhere" with office incentives.
For aspiring engineers scrolling job boards: Ask yourself—what's your non-negotiable? If it's a ₹48 LPA with ping-pong tables and pani puri Fridays, own it. The rat race has enough runners; the world needs more who stop to enjoy the cheese.
What about you? Would you swap office vibes for USD glory? Drop your take in the comments—let's keep the debate going.
*This post draws from viral discussions as of December 1, 2025. Salaries and conversions approximate (1 USD ≈ ₹83).*
