Extended Family of Rtd IAS and Relatives Pledge ₹10 Lakh for Resettlement of H-1B Returnees
KBS Sidhu Also Shared AI Generated Image Of His Extended Family
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 21, 2025;
Former Special Chief Secretary of Punjab and retired IAS officer KBS Sidhu has announced that his extended family, along with relatives, has pledged an initial contribution of ₹10 lakh from personal funds to support H-1B visa returnees and expatriates from Punjab and Chandigarh who are either stranded in India or returning home.
Sharing details of the initiative on social media, Sidhu stated:
“Our extended family has resolved to earmark and pledge an initial sum of ₹10 lakh from personal funds to assist H-1B expatriates from Punjab and Chandigarh, whether returning to or stranded in India, in their resettlement efforts across the country.”
Sidhu explained that those seeking assistance, or those willing to extend a helping hand, will be asked to fill out a short Google Form, enabling direct connections between those in need and those ready to support.
He underlined that the effort is a voluntary sewa initiative, with no outside fundraising involved. However, with mutual consent, donors and beneficiaries may be connected for direct one-to-one interaction.
“We care. Punjab cares. And your country, India, cares too,” Sidhu remarked, adding that the family seeks blessings and feedback before announcing the next concrete steps.
KBS Sidhu further explained:
How Assistance is Tentatively Planned
Here’s an illustrative list of ten ways our family initiative could practically assist H-1B expatriates from Punjab and Chandigarh who are returning or stranded in India.
Each is framed to be realistic, community-based, and sensitive to the challenges these professionals face:
1. Job Placement Support
Create a network with Indian corporates, startups, and placement agencies to help returnees find roles suited to their skills, particularly in IT, consulting, finance, and emerging tech.
2. Career Counselling and Upskilling
Offer guidance on career pivots, including reskilling programmes (AI, data science, cloud, product management) that align with India’s growing job market.
3. Entrepreneurship & Startup Mentoring
Assist those wishing to launch ventures in India with mentorship, incubation links, and introductions to angel investors or venture funds.
4. Legal and Documentation Assistance
Guide returnees on handling visa expiries, work permits, NRI/OCI issues, taxation, and re-establishing Indian documentation (PAN, Aadhaar, etc.).
5. Financial & Tax Advisory
Connect them with professionals who can advise on managing savings abroad, compliance with Indian tax laws, and use of remittances or investments.
6. Temporary Accommodation & Relocation Help
Facilitate short-term housing support in key cities (Delhi, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune) until they secure permanent arrangements.
7. Mental Health & Community Support
Create peer support groups and access to counselling services to help cope with stress, stigma, or uncertainty after an abrupt return.
8. Education Continuity for Children
Assist families in securing admissions for school-age children and connect them with reputed institutions that accommodate mid-year enrolments.
9. Micro-Grants or Bridge Loans
From your family’s initial ₹10 lakh corpus, small emergency grants or short-term loans could cover immediate resettlement costs such as rent deposits or travel.
10. Connecting Beneficiaries with Donors
As you already suggested, facilitate one-to-one matching between returnees and voluntary donors or sponsors who can provide support directly, whether in kind (housing, jobs) or through financial assistance.