‘But Nirvaan, we cannot forget the global perspective. When skilled individuals migrate, they often form networks of collaboration with professionals from across the world. These networks encourage the exchange of values, ideas and expertise, and can lead to technological advancements and international partnerships that benefit not only their home countries but the global community as well. Take the example of Dr Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys. He returned to his homeland after working abroad to set up the company, and we all know how big Infosys is and how good it has been for our economy.’

‘But don’t you think that these individuals often paint a negative picture of India at the global level?’

‘Try to look at the bigger picture. Brain drain from developing countries will eventually push the governments of these nations to invest more in education, research and infrastructure. By addressing the root causes of migration, countries can create an environment that retains talent and fosters innovation and progress locally.’

And then Kiranjeet paused. She looked at me expectantly, as did the rest of the class, waiting for a response, and I suddenly got the feeling that I had no additional points to make. I stared at her, stumped. And then, a few seconds later, I heard thunderous applause and loud cheers break through the classroom, ‘Kiranjeet! Kiranjeet! Kiranjeet!’

Ms Nandita signalled for everyone to quieten down and then said, ‘Well done, both of you. It’s evident that there are valid points to think over on both sides of the argument. Remember, debates like this one help us understand complex issues from multiple perspectives. Now, let’s have a round of applause for both Nirvaan and Kiranjeet.’

As the class continued to clap, I walked up to Kiranjeet and shook hands with her. ‘Good job, Kiranjeet. I never thought about the brain drain as a positive thing until now,’ I told her.

‘Thanks, Nirvaan. We can all learn from each other’s perspectives, I guess,’ she said with a smile.

Three hours and three classes later, it was lunchtime, but I still hadn’t gotten past that discussion. So, I went up to Kiranjeet and asked her, ‘Do you want to have lunch with me?’

‘Sure,’ she replied reluctantly after a second. I could see the entire class staring at us and gossiping about this new friendship in the making.

‘Do you want to have pasta?’ I asked and then pushed my lunchbox towards her.

‘Okay.’ She took a quick bite of the pasta without any hesitation. ‘It’s so tasty!’ she exclaimed a second later. ‘Your mom cooks so well.’

‘My mother cooks only on the weekends. Sometimes, my father cooks on the weekends as well. But it’s Shyam bhaiya who cooks on an everyday basis. He made this pasta,’ I told her.

‘Wow! You have a cook at home? Like they have cooks and chefs in restaurants?’ She looked at me with her eyes wide open.