India’s changing career landscape is prompting globally educated professionals to reassess where they want to build their futures. For employers, the shift creates an opportunity to rethink how they attract talent beyond conventional hiring credentials.
For Axis Bank, the focus is on creating pathways for Indian professionals with international education and work experience to return and pursue meaningful careers. The bank’s ARISE Homecoming initiative reflects a view of talent acquisition centred on skills, potential and the ability to create impact.
In this edition of People Matters CHRO Perspective, Rajkamal Vempati, Group Head – Human Resources, Axis Bank, discusses the changing aspirations of globally educated Indians, the qualities employers should prioritise when hiring, and why talent mobility is becoming an important part of workforce strategy.
Edited excerpts:
Why returning to India is becoming a career choice
What workforce trends led Axis Bank to launch ARISE Homecoming at this point in time?
We are seeing something quite interesting happen.
More Indians than ever before are gaining global exposure through education, work and international experiences. At the same time, India is emerging as one of the most exciting places in the world to build a career. Across sectors, organisations are solving increasingly complex problems and creating opportunities at a scale that is hard to ignore.
What is changing is not just where people can work, but how they think about their careers. Increasingly, professionals are making deliberate choices based on learning, impact, growth and purpose rather than geography alone.
ARISE Homecoming was born from this observation. We wanted to create a pathway for globally educated Indian talent that sees India not just as home, but as a place where they can build meaningful careers and contribute to one of the world's most dynamic growth stories. For us, this initiative is not simply about hiring talent; it is about creating opportunities for people to return by choice and thrive by choice.
How global exposure is reshaping career aspirations
How is the profile and aspiration of globally educated Indian talent evolving compared to a few years ago?
The profile of globally educated Indian talent has become far more interdisciplinary. Many individuals today combine expertise across technology, finance, analytics, design, sustainability and business transformation rather than defining themselves through a single specialisation.
What has evolved even more significantly is aspiration. Earlier, international exposure itself was often seen as the destination. Today, many professionals are looking for opportunities where they can create visible impact, take ownership early and contribute to meaningful change.
When I returned to India nearly two decades ago, it was often viewed as a decision driven more by personal circumstances than professional opportunity. Today, the mindset is very different. Many globally educated Indians see returning home as a conscious career choice, drawn by the chance to participate in India's transformation while accelerating their own growth and creating meaningful impact.
What makes India an increasingly attractive destination for professionals who have studied or worked abroad?
India today offers a rare combination of economic momentum, innovation and opportunity.
Few markets provide the scale, complexity and pace of change that India does. Whether it is financial services, digital ecosystems, artificial intelligence, analytics, payments, cybersecurity or wealth management, professionals have the opportunity to work on challenges that are both globally relevant and locally impactful.
What also makes India distinctive is the ability to see the outcomes of your work at scale. For many professionals, that opportunity to build, influence and create meaningful impact is incredibly compelling.
In many ways, the conversation has shifted from "Why return?" to "Why not?" for professionals who want to be part of India's next phase of growth.
Hiring for skills, adaptability and potential
Beyond academic credentials and international exposure, what qualities does Axis Bank look for in this talent segment?
At Axis Bank, we believe potential matters as much as experience, and skills matter more than labels.
We look for people who are curious, adaptable and eager to learn. We value problem-solvers who can navigate ambiguity, collaborate across diverse teams and translate ideas into outcomes. A strong customer orientation, resilience and a sense of ownership are equally important.
International exposure can certainly bring valuable perspectives, but ultimately what differentiates great talent is the ability to learn continuously, remain grounded and create impact wherever they are.
That philosophy sits at the heart of ARISE Homecoming - capability over pedigree and potential over credentials.
Rethinking the employee value proposition
How should organisations rethink their employer value proposition to attract globally mobile talent?
Globally mobile talent is looking for much more than compensation or brand recognition.
They want meaningful work, opportunities to learn, exposure to leaders, career mobility and the ability to contribute to something larger than themselves. They are evaluating organisations based on the experiences they can provide and the growth they can enable.
This means organisations must be more intentional about creating environments where people can learn, innovate, collaborate and build long-term careers. Equally important is providing transparency around growth opportunities through internal talent marketplaces, enabling employees to discover new roles, experiences and career pathways within the organisation.
Talent mobility as a workforce priority
Do you see talent mobility becoming a more important part of workforce strategy for Indian employers in the years ahead?
Absolutely.
As industries evolve and technology reshapes the nature of work, organisations will need to think of talent more fluidly. The focus will increasingly shift from where talent comes from to what talent can contribute.
Cross-border experiences, internal mobility, cross-functional careers and continuous reskilling will all become important elements of workforce strategy. Organisations that can connect capability with opportunity quickly and effectively will have a significant advantage.
Talent mobility is not just about moving people across geographies. It is about enabling people to move towards opportunities where they can learn, grow and create greater impact.
What returning talent means for India's hiring landscape
What does the growing interest in returning talent mean for the future of hiring and talent competitiveness in India?
The growing interest in returning talent says as much about India's future as it does about the professionals making these choices.
For many years, career success was often associated with moving outward. Today, we are increasingly seeing talented individuals choosing to move back, not because they have fewer opportunities elsewhere, but because they see immense possibilities here.
The organisations that succeed will be those that can combine global thinking with local understanding and execution.
At Axis Bank, ARISE Homecoming reflects this belief. It is our effort to create pathways for globally educated Indian talent to contribute to India's growth story while building careers that are driven by choice, purpose and impact.
As Indian employers compete for specialised capabilities, returning professionals represent one potential source of talent with international exposure and interdisciplinary experience. Vempati's perspective places the emphasis on how organisations connect these capabilities with meaningful work, internal mobility and opportunities for long-term growth.
This story is part of CHRO Perspective, a People Matters series featuring bold ideas and real-world insights from India's top CHROs. Stay with us for more perspectives that power the future of work.
