Stories of Indians having settled abroad while leaving elderly parents neglected in India are history now. NRIs are changing the narrative, like philanthropist Anil Kochhar honored his father by pledging to clear student loans for 200 US graduates; Amit Kashyap, a Dallas-based techie, took his parents on a tour from America’s Neon City to Niagara Falls. Similarly, Gaurav Sabnis from New York flew out his parents on business class flights from India to USA for the first time in 2022. His happiness for affording business class travel for parents is still relatable in 2026.
In 2022, Gaurav expressed his overwhelming joy through a series of tweets. He wrote that being able to afford business class flight tickets for his parents made him feel “extra grown up” and that he did not give in to their objection to what they called unnecessary extravagance. The tweets were expressive of his euphoria over securing a comfortable long-haul journey for his parents, from India to New York.
He elaborated why his parents are fully deserving of business class air travel. Especially his mom, who feels happy with little things in life, would be the world’s happiest person when she would land from an international business class 777 flight. He tweeted that his father would be thrilled to get a bed on board and catch a good sleep all the way to New York from India.
Elaborating further why flying in business class is a lot more about comfort rather than luxury, Gaurav tweeted that his mother had been a “hardened traveler” since her 20s. Due to his father’s profession as a highway bridge engineer, his mother took many rough, bumpy bus rides with two kids. He went on to recollect how she endured the utter discomfort of those journeys without a toilet for women on highways. Yet, she did never complain.
As a kid, he used to wonder why his mother barely drank water during a 16 to 20-hour bus journey between Pune and Indore; whereas he guzzled water in plenty. Only after having grown up, he realized why. He remembers the privilege of being male in India in those days. As a boy, he would run out of the bus and pee in a secluded corner whenever the bus took a halt (twice or thrice) on the highway. He rues the difficulty other women, like his mother, had had without a toilet break during long-hour road journeys in the 80s and 90s. He further tweeted:
“First time mom visited the US (almost 15 years ago!) she loved how we could take any random exit off the highway, go to any random gas station & the toilet was still generally clean usable safe. So she could drink water whenever she liked. Small joys!”
Gaurav Sabnis had actually planned to accompany his parents on a business class flight for his mother’s birthday in April 2020. But the COVID-19 breakout spoilt the plan. Though after 2 years, he was happy to have them experienced the comfort of business class travel by air. He concluded the social media post saying how fortunate and privileged he was to make this happen.
May the above feel-good story inspire you to book best international flights for your parents’ long-haul travel. Grab Indian Eagle’s $25 discount offer on booking travel for your mother, parents, or parents-in-law, between USA and India. IEMOMTB25 is the discount code and the offer is valid through 17 May 2026 (CST hours).
Yes it takes time for NRI to settle in US and then enjoy these perks which are necessities for parents. They have seen enough struggle in their life . They never lived for themselves. They sacrificed their comforts to take care of their family. Now it’s our time to take care of their needs.
I can totally relate to this story. I bought a business class ticket for My 89 year old father who used to endure the long flights o economy class many times earlier. He was so happy to travel in comfort it was heartwarming. I am only sorry that I couldn’t do that for my mother before she passed away.
This is heart-warming news. Young IT professionals in the US can afford this and quite a few are doing so.
A Young man, I know, Saptarsi Das [nephew of my sister-in-law] got a job in Silicon Valley after completing his Ph.D. two years ago brought his parents to the US from Kolkata in Business class at his first opportunity. Rather than going to India himself for a bride and getting married, he opted to bring his retired parents here instead first.
Hi Baidya! It is good to see NRIs relate to this story and share the joy of flying out their parents in business class for their comfort. Thank you for sharing this with us and other Indians.
Real joy/ responsibility is in being with parents in their old age …. All these things like getting first class ticket, showing them your house / car has almost no value… Supporting them financially remotely is fake and is just a kind of ostentatiousness.
Would he do this for his wife’s parents too?
The wife can do it for her parents. Don’t see why you think she should depend on him for it.