According to a recent survey conducted by ORC Worldwide, an international consultant for a leading business magazine in the country, three Indian cities namely Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai have been rated as the fifth, sixth and tenth worst cities in the world to work in, when it comes to expats.
Concerns like a hot and humid climate, pollution, the threat of disease and poor sanitation, lack of adequate medical and educational facilities, infrastructure and physical remoteness have been the reasons for Chennai’s inclusion into this list. Although Chennai has been given a better rating than the two other Indian metros, the results of the survey have evoked criticisms, vitriolic backlashes and reasonable arguments in support of the same.
When asked about what the ‘Chennai experience’ meant to him and if he agreed to the study, Tan Ngaronga, a New Zealander and the COO of Sathyam Cinemas, who has been living in the city for the past three years said, “I feel that the survey is very polarised in nature. I agree that the city tends to get a little warm every now and then, but that’s just the way it is. I call it my own tropical paradise. Sure enough, there’s garbage littered in a few places, but that hasn’t turned Chennai into a hotbed of health problems.”
He adds, “There are plenty of cities that could be better off or worse off than Chennai, but for those living here, the city means everything. I enjoy living with my family here and I don’t find anything much to complain about.”
Margot Blair, a native of Scotland has a few reservations when it comes to life in Chennai.
She says, “We have the most beautiful beach in the world, but sanitation in these parts need to improve. There are power cables dangling precariously close to the ground, which are issues that need quick redressal. I lived in China for almost three years and Chennai will need at least 10 more years to catch up with it. But then, the expats here have a good life and nothing to crib about. The restrictions on consuming alcohol at a pub after 11 pm and the limited nightlife is the only downer.”
Marie-Paule Serre, the director of Alliance Francaise, who works with several members of the expat community says, “Traffic may be the biggest problem we have. But visitors and settlers here only have good things to say about Chennai . I have great friends comprising both locals and expats and we love being here.”
MB Nirmal the founder of Exnora and a globetrotter says, “Chennai is a great city. Our crime rates are lower than Cape Town, a posh city where every person is target for muggers. Our medical facilities are of world standard. But what we should value most are our generous people. If you ask someone for directions to a place in Chennai, in seven out of 10 cases, the person might volunteer to take you there himself. That’s the spirit of the city!”
