Home Away From Home

Home Away From Home © Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan | Anupam Arunachalam

Indian presence can be felt throughout Germany — be it the tantalizing scent of Indian cuisine permeating the air or the sight of Indian students making their way to universities. But what draws Indians to Germany, and what keeps them there? In this dossier, we explore personal stories and experiences of Indians living in Germany, including navigating cultural differences and finding success in their careers, revealing the unique challenges and rewards of living as an Indian in Germany.

Portraits of Indians in Germany

Kashmira Wagh

Age: 37 years
Origin: Pune, India
Location in Germany: Hamburg
Profession: Business Development, AI-Powered Creative with Google

Kashmira is a Pune native who has been living in Germany for over a decade. From studying German in high school to working for Google, Kashmira's story exemplifies a harmonious blend of her Indian roots and adopted country. Hear first-hand about her life in Hamburg, including the challenges she faced, her most shocking moments, and her travel tips.

© Kashmira Wagh
Neelay Mehendale

Age: 31 years
Origin: Pune, India
Location in Germany: Berlin
Profession: Postdoc Student in Chemical Biology, Berlin

Neelay, a Pune native, visited major European cities while scouting for postdoc research openings. When he arrived in Berlin, he was immediately in thrall of the city for its international atmosphere, Willkommenskultur, vibrant social life, and well-funded scientific research environment.

© Neelay Mehendale
Karthik Setty and Sreema Nallasivam

Origin: Bangalore, India
Location in Germany: Düsseldorf
Profession: Karthik – Founder and CEO, Evora IT Solutions GmbH; Sreema – CEO, Business Solution Center, Metro AG

Karthik Setty and Sreema Nallasivam moved to Germany a decade ago with nothing but anxieties about starting out new in an unfamiliar country. Over the years, living in Germany has taught them valuable life skills, over and above a crucial lesson - perseverance pays!

© Karthik Setty and Sreema Nallasivam
Paushali Lass

Age: 46 years
Origin: New Delhi, India
Location in Germany: Düsseldorf
Profession: Culinary and Social Entrepreneur

Paushali Lass wants to bridge the cultural gap between Indian and German societies by introducing Indian food to Germany using her food start-up business. She is also a social entrepreneur and a published author!

© Paushali Lass
Shanmukha Siddaramu

Age: 29 years
Origin: Bengaluru, India
Location in Germany: Karlsruhe
Profession: Research Assistant at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Shanmukha is a Kanakpura, Bengaluru native who moved to Jena, Germany for his higher studies. A hiking enthusiast, his longing for home persuaded him to explore the captivating wilderness of Germany. He shares how being in nature helped him find a community and cured his homesickness all the while pursuing a tech career in a foreign land.

© Shanmukha Mangadahalli Siddaramu
Pradnya Bivalkar

Origin: Pune, India
Location in Germany: Berlin
Profession: Senior Project Manager, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Berlin

From the tranquillity of quaint Tübingen to the high culture of Hamburg and the trendy Berlin, Pradnya has lived across Germany. But it all started with a trip to Munich that she says gave her a weird sense of déjà vu.

© Pradnya Bivalkar

#MyJob

Skilled labour is urgently needed in Germany. People from all over the world come to Germany for this very reason – they want to work here. What helped them enter the labour market? What profession did they choose and why? Where do they go when they leave the house in the morning? What do they like about their day-to-day work? They talk about this in the #MyJob series.

Teacher

Martin Ganguly actually studied directing and acting. Then he changed careers and went into teaching. He loves his profession – in part because it gives him a wide range of opportunities.

Data Analyst

Alejandro – Alex – Madrigal works as a data analyst in Berlin. The Costa Rican came to Germany in May 2022 on a “jobseeker visa”. One thing is for certain: he wants to stay.

Photo (detail): © Ula Brunner
Camerawoman

Aleksandra Medianikova had already completed her camera studies in Russia when she came to Germany. Here she studies again to fulfill her professional dream. It was definitely worth it, she says.

Photo (Filmstill): Ula Brunner © Goethe-Institut
Landscape Architect

Ludivine Gragy is a freelance landscape architect. Professional experience in Switzerland and Japan has influenced her work. But Berlin has become her chosen home.

Foto (Filmstill): Ula Brunner © Goethe-Institut
Mechatronics Engineer

Ismail Mohamed studied mechanical engineering in Cairo before starting his apprenticeship in mechatronics at Siemens in Berlin. One thing he finds particularly exciting is working as part of an international team.

Filmstill: Ula Brunner © Goethe Institut
Psychiatrist

Thi-Minh-Tam Ta is a psychiatrist with a passion. Originally from Vietnam, she has lived and worked in Berlin for 13 years. She didn’t find it easy to cope with the culture, especially at the beginning.

Photo (film): Ula Brunner © Goethe Institut
Nurse

Administering medication, measuring blood pressure and continually asking patients how they’re feeling: nurse Samed Qoshja has plenty to keep him busy in his job. Originally from Albania, he has been working at the Berliner Charité since 2017 – and Germany already feels almost like home to him.

Photo (Filmstill): Ula Brunner © Goethe Institut

More on Living in Germany

Mein Weg nach Deutschland

The website “Mein Weg nach Deutschland” is designed for prospective migrants who have reached the A1 level of language proficiency, which they need to qualify for a visa, in their home country. It aims to facilitate their transition to Germany.

Foto (Ausschnitt): © Flo Karr / Unsplash
Deutschland #nofilter

The diversity of Germany in one magazine. #DeutschlandNoFilter presents dialects and book trends, series tips and insights into everyday working life, sports and music, sustainable ideas, and special places that you should get to know. A magazine for everyone who is interested in Germany and loves the German language.

© Goethe-Institut