For Raghav Sharma and his partner, Garima Bajaj, the quiet hills of Kotabagh offer the perfect balance between career ambitions and personal well-being. A former flying trainee who left Mumbai nine years ago, Sharma now manages three homestays, earning ₹15 LPA, while Bajaj balances her remote PhD research at IIT Madras. In a conversation with hindustantimes.com, Sharma shared how swapping high-stress urban living for a community-driven, sustainable lifestyle powered by solar energy has redefined success for them, proving that a fulfilling career and a peaceful life can comfortably coexist.
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Sharma, who originally hails from Punjab, relocated to Mumbai with his parents when he was just five years old. “Did my schooling, flying training there and moved to Kotabagh, Nainital 9 years ago,” he said.
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“I moved from Mumbai about 9 yrs ago. I was looking for a slower, more intentional way of living. The constant rush, traffic and fast-paced lifestyle no longer aligned with the kind of life I wanted. The mountains offered a chance to build something meaningful while being closer to nature,” Sharma shared.
He added that his life was completely transformed after he decided to leave Mumbai nearly a decade ago. “The biggest change has been in the quality of life. My days are now less stressful & more connected to nature. I spend more time outdoors, have a stronger sense of community, and my work feels more fulfilling.”
“I started off by pursuing organic farming, parallely started my 1st homestay & eventually pivoted fully into hospitality. Now I run 3 homestays, 2 more are in the pipeline,” he explained, revealing that he earns around ₹15 LPA from his projects.
During the conversation, he also talked about his monthly expenses and investments. Sharma said he invests around ₹30,000- ₹35,000. “We live at our homestay, so there’s no rent, and we have solar panels for electricity, so no electricity bill either.” He continued, “We do invest, primarily in SIPs & now we have started investing in land as well.”
He stays in Uttarakhand with his partner and their three adorable pets. “My partner’s name is Garima Bajaj, and we have 3 dogs at our homestay where my partner & I live. Talli, Julie and the youngest, April. We have 3 more at our home where my parents live, Ragi and her children, Chilly & Cheezu.” His parents live nearby, “just 10 mins away.”
Talking about how his partner handles life in the mountains, Sharma told hindustantimes.com, “My partner is currently pursuing her PhD at IIT Madras and has been working remotely from the mountains for the past one and a half years. Living in the mountains had always been her dream. In fact, this is where we met. She loves the slower pace of life, being surrounded by nature, and the sense of freedom that comes with it.”
He added, “Even though she travels to IIT Madras whenever required for her research, she says the mountains feel like home. It’s given her the best of both worlds- a fulfilling academic career and the lifestyle she’d always hoped for.”
While he and his partner have built a peaceful, fulfilling life in nature, he cautioned others against romanticising mountain living. He emphasised that the lifestyle comes with a unique set of challenges and should be pursued only by those truly prepared to face them.
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“People shouldn’t romanticise mountain life, it’s beautiful, but it also comes with its own set of challenges from healthcare & connectivity to logistics & infrastructure. If someone is considering relocating, they should spend extended time in the place first, understand the local community, become a part of them, never try to show that they know more & have a sustainable source of income,” he advised.
The homestay owner continued, “Move because the lifestyle genuinely resonates with you, not just because you are trying to escape city life or following the trend.”
