Man takes early retirement from Microsoft to spend time with ageing parents in India

After 23 years at Microsoft, a man decided to take an early retirement to spend more time with his ageing parents in India.A man quit Microsoft after 23 years to take care of his parents. (Photo: Kesavan Shanmugam/LinkedIn)New Delhi,Oct 12, 2026 12:26 ISTLeaving behind a high-paying job in the US after 23 years to spend time with ageing parents is not an easy decision to make. But Kesavan Shanmugam, Vice President of Engineering for Excel Copilot and Agentic AI at Microsoft, has chosen to do just that, announcing his retirement in a LinkedIn post that has drawn warm responses online.“After 23 years at Microsoft, I am retiring today to spend more time with my ageing parents in India,” Kesavan wrote in a LinkedIn post.He acknowledged that walking away from his work and colleagues was difficult, particularly when he was still involved in exciting projects at the technology giant. However, he said spending more time with his family and friends was the right choice for him.“It was difficult to walk away from the exciting work in Excel Copilot and the amazing colleagues at Microsoft. But it is also the right tradeoff for me,” he added. Kesavan also expressed gratitude to Microsoft for making it possible for him to make that choice, thanking colleagues, past and present, for making his professional journey fulfilling.See the post:His decision was welcomed by several LinkedIn users, many of whom praised him for prioritising his parents over his professional commitments.One user, who had recently lost a parent, wrote, “That's probably one of the best decisions you can take. As someone who has just lost one parent, I would urge you highly to try your best to keep them close.”Another user praised the thought behind his decision, writing, “It takes love, courage, and a heart that puts family first. Some of life’s most meaningful responsibilities never appear on a rsum, but they leave the deepest mark on our hearts.”- Ends