New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- For many Indians who move to the US, securing a Green Card represents years of education, professional work and navigating a complicated immigration process. For nutritionist and entrepreneur Bharathi Ramesh, however, obtaining permanent residency eventually became part of a very different journey.

Ramesh has returned to India after giving up her US Green Card to build her startup, a decision she recently explained in a series of social media posts. Her story has drawn attention because she walked away from a status that many immigrants spend years trying to secure.

Ramesh moved to the US in 2020 to pursue a master's degree, with the aim of understanding how research could be applied to nutrition practice. She later...