[Crossing Cultures: Indians in China] Anup Mohan: A Rollercoaster Ride

What springs to mind when you think about China and India? Politics? Trade? The economy? Those are all crucial, but perhaps even more important are individual stories of relationships between ordinary people. What’s life like as an Indian in China? What are the biggest differences between the two countries, as experienced by people who have lived in both? What advice would ordinary Indians give to someone thinking of heading to China? To find out the answers, the team here at China-India Dialogue has been tracking down Indian expats in China to hear their stories.

“I first arrived in China in 2013,” says Anup Mohan, “on a trip sponsored by my company. I was intrigued by the organized approach of the country’s people and its gigantic infrastructure.” Back then, Anup thought he was coming for a short visit – but four years later, he’s now working full-time for a marketing company in Beijing. “I work with various Chinese companies that are considering going overseas, and global companies that want to move to China,” he explains. “I handle everything for them, from their social media to finding relevant business partners.”

“I work with various Chinese companies that are considering going overseas, and global companies that want to move to China,” he explains. “I handle everything for them, from their social media to finding relevant business partners.”

For Anup, working in China has been an unforgettable experience. “It’s like a rollercoaster,” he says. “When I was in India, I was at the bottom of the pile, and when I am in China, I am at the top. It’s unique.”

The experience has been as transformative personally as it has professionally. “In my time working in China, I have never found or chased my comfort zone,” says Anup. “That’s the beauty of this experience. I have been challenged to redefine my thought process, my way of working, my communication style – it has made me so much more self-aware than I ever imagined.” That may sound daunting, but Anup has risen to the challenge.

“In India, I always find my comfort zone, since I can get around easily and always find my way out of a situation,” he explains. “My Chinese experience has challenged me to doubt how strongly I even believe in my own beliefs. This question itself is a greater gift to me than anything else.” Anup has learned that even the more difficult aspects of life as an Indian in China can be turned into positives.

“China is a complete surprise that can shock you, make you laugh, make you frustrated, make you happy, or make you doubt yourself,” he says. “In the end, life is always about getting to know yourself better, and being completely out of my comfort zone in China gives me a platform to do that.”

Anup accepts that not everyone in India would move to China as readily as he did. “I have been to 22 countries, and in my experience, China is the most misunderstood country in the world,” he says. “When I talk with Indian people about China, they say things like, ‘Do you not know about the 1962 war?’, or ‘China is eating away at the Indian market with cheap products,’ or even ‘How can you live in such a country?’” After spending so much time in China, these are viewpoints that Anup cannot agree with. “In my opinion, Indians have a lot more misconceptions about China than Chinese do about India,” he tells us. “Yes, maybe bilateral relations haven’t always been extremely positive in the past. But the future for the two countries could be beyond our wildest imaginations.”