In an era where high-paying corporate roles in metropolitan cities are often viewed as the pinnacle of career success, a recent social media post has ignited a heated discussion about financial independence and life choices. A narrative detailing how a professional left his lucrative Mumbai job to pursue a business in his hometown has gone viral, leaving internet users divided over the feasibility of the financial strategy described.
The story, shared by X (formerly Twitter) user Ankit Pandey, features a man who reportedly walked away from a monthly salary of INR 1.5 lakh in Mumbai to start a new chapter. Pandey’s post, which has become widely known as the "ankit pandey viral job resignation" story, claims that the individual’s move was met with significant scepticism from his peers at the time. ‘Bad Manager Can Make Dream Job Hell’: Bengaluru Techie Breaks Down in Meeting, Quits Job Due to ‘Toxic’ Boss; Netizens React to Viral LinkedIn Post.
Ankit Pandey's Post About His Friend Quitting Job in Mumbai Goes Viral
My friend quit his ₹1.5 lakh/month job in Mumbai.
Everyone thought he was making the biggest mistake of his life.
He sold his flat for ₹3 crore and moved back to his hometown.
Instead of buying another luxury apartment, he bought land for ₹20 lakh, built a beautiful house…
— Ankit Pandey (@iamankitpande) July 17, 2026
From Mumbai Corporate Life to Entrepreneurship
According to Pandey, the individual sold his Mumbai flat for INR 3 crore. Rather than reinvesting in another expensive urban property, he chose to return to his roots. The post outlines a breakdown of his new life: he purchased land for INR 20 lakh, constructed a house for INR 50 lakh, and invested another INR 50 lakh into opening two restaurants in his hometown. Pandey claims these restaurants, now listed on delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy, are operated by employees and generate enough profit for the man to save approximately INR 3 lakh per month. Additionally, Pandey stated that the man invested INR 1.5 crore in fixed deposits, which purportedly yield nearly INR 1 lakh per month in interest.
Comparing the two lifestyles, Pandey wrote, "His Mumbai salary was ₹1.5 lakh/month. Today, he earns around ₹4 lakh/month, owns his time, lives closer to family, and has no boss." He concluded the post with a sentiment on redefining success: "Sometimes, success isn't about moving to the biggest city. It's about building something where you truly belong."
Netizens Question the Story Shared by Ankit Pandey
If he sold his flat for ₹3 crore, he would have to pay capital gains tax first
So how did he invest the full ₹3 crore back in his hometown?
And what about the home loan he took to buy that flat?
How was that handled?
— Mohit Pareek (@pareek_mohit26) July 17, 2026
Full fake ...3 crore main se 30-40lac tax kaun dega ..
— Varun Dand (@dand_varun) July 18, 2026
Internet Divided Over Financial Logic
While some users hailed the story as an inspiring example of escaping the "corporate grind", a significant portion of the audience raised questions regarding the mathematical and practical accuracy of the claims. Critics were quick to point out potential oversights in the financial narrative. One user questioned, "If he sold his flat for INR 3 crore, he would have to pay capital gains tax first. So how did he invest the full INR 3 crore back in his hometown? And what about the home loan he took to buy that flat? How was that handled?" Others expressed doubt regarding the profitability of the business venture. "The INR 3 crore flat is doing the heavy lifting here, guys," one commenter noted, suggesting that the initial capital, rather than the business model itself, was the primary driver of the man’s new income. Another user labelled the post a "fairy tale" that seemed "too good to be true". Why Bhupendra Vishwakarma, Pune-Based Techie, Resigns From Infosys Without Another Job Offer; Cites Toxic Culture and 5 Other ‘Systematic Issues' in LinkedIn Post.
This is not the first time content shared by Ankit Pandey has sparked such conversations. His social media profile frequently features stories about unconventional career paths and workplace anecdotes, which often elicit a mix of admiration and scepticism from his followers. As with many viral social media accounts of this nature, whether the story is entirely accurate remains a point of contention among digital observers.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 20, 2026 10:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
