Hello Folks - To give some background, I am 40, male, Indian, married with two daughters - 4 years old and approx. 1 year old settled in USA awaiting my citizenship before end of 2019. I have an undergraduate degree in Engineering and finished my MBA from the USA in 2004. At that time, I wanted to extend my MBA into a DBA (or) PhD but due to societal pressures had to take up a job and get married and settle down. Fast forward 13 years, and I feel very unsatisfied, saturated in my profession and burnt out. My initial passion for learning and teaching has not gone away. I have acquired assets that can sustain me for some time if I took a hiatus and enrolled in a PhD program. I would like to be somewhere closer to India and complete this in a globally recognized program / country in 3 years. I am looking for some guidance how to go about researching this. I need some help on where to start while looking, how to shortlist programs and most importantly, will I be able to get into an academic career if I am already 40 now and will take a few years to complete PhD. Please help.

Anyone?

Hi i also ddi my PhD in my 40s but I think if there are 2 issues in your message, the PhD but also relocating somewhere closer to India.

There is absolutely no logical reason whatsoever for your age being an issue but that will depend on the country you want to work in. The USA seems to be pretty backwards and obsessed with youth over experience but in the UK for example, things are much more enlightened in that regard. Either way, there is nothing you can do about it now. You have already spent enough years doing what others expect of you. It's time to get on with what you want.
When you get your PhD you will be perfectly placed to enter academia, secondary or primary education or even home tutoring via your own company. I did my PhD in my forties and now run my own company. Lots of people do this. Doing a PhD with the sole aim of getting an academic job is a very poor reason in my opinion. The chances of securing a permanent job are so small that you really need a good solid backup plan. In my opinion you should do a PhD only because you enjoy something so much that you want to spend a few years dedicating yourself to it.
Dont put all your eggs in one basket. Every academic job attracts hundreds of applicants and academia is full of postdocs in their mid-thirties and in several cases early 40s still trying to secure their first permanent post when most of us are on our second or third careers. It really is a horror show. I personally know three people who were around 40 before they got their first permanent post. One guy had spent 17 years on temporary academic contracts!!!!

So just to clarify are you saying if I wanted to end up being a college professor and researcher it is a bad idea to embark on a PhD because placement is doubtful? What else is the option if I want a career in teaching in Management related areas? When I was doing my MBA it was required to have a PhD to enter as a management school professor.

I have re-read my response to you several times and I honestly can't see what I have said to make you come to that conclusion.

Doing a PhD with the sole aim of getting an academic job is a very poor reason in my opinion. The chances of securing a permanent job are so small that you really need a good solid backup plan.

The above made me think that you meant what I referred to. If that's not the case it's fine. Can someone help me on my original question?

You have misunderstood my point and I detect a hint of frost in your answer above so I will wish you well and bail from the discussion :-D
I would however respectfully suggest that you don't bite the ankles of people who are trying to help you if you want further responses.

I think what pm meant is that there is a lot of competition for being a university lecturer permanently. Just something to think about before you embark on 3+ years of work.

Anyway. If it helps at all I know that a lot of British and American universities are branching out in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and that is definitely a lot closer to India :)

I have reread my answer and am unable to find the frost referred to or your inference to not bite ankles. I agree that it is ok if you don't want to help.

However, my main questions still remain and to recap the following is what I am interested in learning about:

1. I am looking for some guidance how to go about researching how to shortlist PhD programs in business and most importantly, will I be able to get into an academic career if I am already 40 now and will take a few years to complete PhD.
2. I am also looking to be close to India. So, any geographical advise on where to pursue will be helpful.

Thank you. Does this mean it may not be prudent to embark on a PhD if my only goal is to research and teach at a University level?

Oh what a relief. I wouldn't have slept a wink tonight if you hadn't blessed me with your agreement :
-D

All it means is that you need to consider what you will do if it doesn't happen - if you don't get a permanent lecturing post anywhere. Will your PhD be useless? Or is there something else you could take from it?

I have no idea what I'll do at the end of my PhD - I don't really have the option of working in industry and I'd need a clinical doctorate to practise. It's something I think a lot about but mainly passion for my subject sees it through. To make the long hours/work/effort of a PhD worth it, there has to be something else I think.

Shortlisting: you think about where you want to go geographically (Since you're from India, I would think you would know better than most where you would like to place yourself), you google universities in that area, you see if there are research groups that fit your interest via google or university web pages (not necessarily in that order), you make some sort of list as you go, you contact professors and see who can offer a PhD (have you got funding? Because it will be difficult without). There are no quick and easy shortcuts to this.