"India as a country has a lot to offer: yoga, ayurveda (herbal medicine), meditation, food, dance, music," Libkhen said. "These are all the cultural aspects of life I was looking for."

Infosys, which has about 50,000 employees worldwide, aggressively recruits foreign employees and interns, hoping its international work force will help it better compete in the global marketplace. Each year, more than 10,000 applicants apply for its 100-plus internship spots.

N.R. Narayana Murthy, Infosys' chairman and co-founder, said the company started its internship program six years ago to show foreign students there's more to India than "cows, poverty and pollution."

"They get exposed to another side of India," Murthy said in an interview on the Infosys campus in Bangalore. "These people will become leaders in all walks of life. If we can create a positive impression on their minds at an early stage, it's good for India and for Infosys."

Eric Stuckey, 32, an MBA student at the University of Michigan, jumped at a chance to intern at Infosys as part of a research project on global outsourcing. A former software developer, he wanted to witness the growth of India's burgeoning IT industry and get experience working with Indian companies.

"India and China are coming into their own," said Stuckey, who plans to pursue a career in management consulting. "As a business person, I know that I will be working with India and China in the future, and this is a great chance to get a first exposure."

Linkon said that while his friends back home complain about menial tasks at their entry-level jobs, he's given responsibilities at Infosys that "stretch my comfort zones and force me to work in areas in which I have little experience."

"I had originally thought I'd pay my dues as soon as possible and move back to the U.S.," Linkon said. Now he plans to stay in Bangalore for at least another year. "I'm realizing now that there is too much to learn and experience before I leave Asia."