"Aao, Ab Laut Chalen": Edelweiss CEO Radhika Gupta To Indians In US After H-1B Visa Fee Hike

Radhika Gupta, Edelweiss AMC's Managing Director and CEO, said she wouldn't want to go back to the United States "at all." Her remarks come in response to US President Donald Trump's decision to raise the H-1B visa application fee to $100,000.

Ms Gupta talked about Indian students currently studying in the US, recalling her own experiences during her time there. "I was fortunate to graduate in 2005, when H-1B norms were far more favourable in the US. But things changed quickly in 2008 during the financial crisis many Indian students felt upset, lost, and stuck," she wrote in a LinkedIn post.

An alumna of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School, Ms Gupta graduated in 2005 with degrees in Computer Science Engineering and Economics. She went on to work with McKinsey & Co. as a Business Analyst before joining AQR Capital Management in 2006.

Reflecting on the post-crisis years, she said that many students returned to India when visa norms tightened, while others later made the same choice despite holding valid visas. "Some eventually returned home, and years later, even those of us who still had the visa made the same choice. Today, we've built fulfilling lives here with tremendous professional opportunities and the deeper joy of creating in our own country," she said.

Ms Gupta added that India now offers greater opportunities than when she left two decades ago. "Personally, I wouldn't want to go back, at all," she said.

Offering encouragement to Indian students abroad, she wrote, "So, if you're on a US campus right now feeling shaken or disheartened, I know what that feels like. But remember: when one door closes, many others open back home. And India of 2025 is a far more exciting place than India of 2005 ever was. Chin up. Aao, ab laut chalen! (Let's go back.)"

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign nationals to work in the United States. The US has imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions. The Trump administration said the measure, valid for 12 months unless extended, is aimed at protecting American jobs and ensuring only the "most skilled" workers are hired.

The fee applies only to new applicants. Existing H-1B holders will not be required to pay the amount for renewals or reentry. The White House clarified that the charge is a one-time payment, not an annual fee.

According to the order, no H-1B worker can enter the US unless the sponsoring employer provides proof of the payment. The Departments of State and Homeland Security have been instructed to reject petitions that do not include it.