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Abstract
This paper examines the career trajectories of Indian engineers migrating to the United States from the 1980s to the present. It explores the historical and cultural factors driving these migrations, with a specific emphasis on aspirational career trajectories to the US. Through nine life history interviews with Indian engineers in the US, the research thematically analyzes narratives to identify two empirical indicators of these career trajectories: "enduring aspiration" and "intensified aspiration." These themes enable the conceptualization of varied aspirations for engineering careers in the US as labor, further dissecting the emotional and affective aspects involved. The paper fundamentally argues that the aspiration to pursue an engineering career in the US is a significant aspect of the broader aspirational trajectories of Indian migrants and deserves theoretical attention. It underscores the importance of career histories within the broader life histories that often depict the exotic migrant story.