Invisible India
Monday, July 6, 2009
Shreeram Kunte
Services Marketing, April '09
The growing economic crisis that has gripped the world currently doesn’t really make a difference to 12-year old Kishan who is busy mending shoes in the dark by lanes of Dharavi in Mumbai. Neither does the news of a gain in Sensex excite Murthy, a poor farmer in Andhra Pradesh who has a feed his family of five. Life, for millions of people across India, is a crisis any way. Isn't this a cold-blooded fact that we are completely alienated from a larger part of India? While we discuss the impact of this crisis in the comforts of our air-conditioned class-rooms, these people, in a sheer helplessness fight the already lost battle.
P. Sainath, the famed Rural Affais Editor for The Hindu, has aptly said in one of his interviews that invisible India is like an elephant in your bedroom. While we have been busy creating a few islands of development(?), we have learned to look the other way, when it comes to dealing with this invisible, unwanted India.
Why are we pursuing MBA? For that dream job we always wanted? For that famed lifestyle? May be, just may be to make a difference to the society? I know, this may sound cliché` but I think MBA should empower us to make a difference, even if small, to the society while we make good money. Money is not taboo to me. E.g. Mr. Mohammed Yunus of Gramin Bank is running a profitable business while impacting millions of lives. This is an ideal business model. Sustainable, alternative source of energy is also a very profitable business and at the same time beneficial to the society, considering the energy crisis that is looming large. Many NGOs are doing some great work in this area.
Services Marketing has a huge potential to tap the resources and the talent of Invisible India. Let us start thinking how our specialisations can bring about change to the lives of people. We, the students of SPJCM are quite capable of doing this. It is one thing to criticise our government on the coffee tables and quite the other to actively contribute. Let us make our choice.
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5 comments:
Definitely a thought to ponder about. Good going sir.
This reminded me of "Lead India" initiative from "Times of India"
That is food for thought. A drastic change in perspective. Well written, well thought.
I believe most individuals unknowingly are a part of this movement where they are trying to bring this white elephant in the room to the discussion table.
The reason however does not lie in the novelty of the cause but the fact that this is where the next growth opportunity lies. Although, some may argue that its wrong to look at the lower end of the pyramid as a target for profit making interests but i personally do not see why should we keep this so called underprivileged section deprived of the privileges enjoyed by rest of us.
Dear all,
I am happy to see the discussion. I invite you all to our initiative. Please visit the site: http://www.learning-community.in.
this is to tap the "personal social responsibility" of each and every student.
I will happy if each of one of take the responsibility of providing education to at least one.
all the best! keep it up.
ramana
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