Dynamism of Human Spirit
Dynamism of Human Spirit
Unlocking India’s Labor Market
I have always wondered, like many, how humans build the colossal buildings that are now in the “must-see” category of every traveler. From Egypt’s Pyramids to the Great Wall of China to Petra’s rock cut-out to the Roman Colosseum. Each one is a testament to human spirit (and some questionable labor practices). Taj Mahal is no different.
Our lives are different in every measurable way from that past. But something within us still propels us to achieve more. It moves us to strive for a better life, a better society, more scientific discovery and more <insert your life goals>. Each generation enables the next one to do better and achieve more.
For countries like India, this desire for a better life is even more dialed up than developed countries. Mainly because there are more obstacles and fewer opportunities to get where you want to be. With 1.4 billion people, India is the most populated country in the world now. For a country only established in 1947, there’s always been an uphill battle for a better life.
Against all those odds though, the hustle culture of the past is not only alive, it’s kicked into the next gear. It’s clear to see it on Indian streets. As I experienced it during my recent visit. Everyone is busy and up to the next thing.
With no shortage of labor, the digitization of the human capital is awe-inspiring.
There is an app for everything now. Here are top 3 on my list—
You need someone to drive your car, but don’t want to keep a driver long term, there’s CarChalak. This is not Uber or Lyft, this is a certified driver coming to your house to drive you in your car.
You need someone to cut your hair, massage your stress away, paint your house or do really anything in your house, there’s Urban company. The quality of work can vary, but generally through reviews & comments its similar to choosing a restaurant on Yelp. The expert will come to your house and do the work needed.
Do you need something brought to you ASAP? No problem, there’s BlinkIt. Not kidding, anything from groceries to medication to hookah. Their website makes the business model abundantly clear — “Imagine needing something when you are at home and getting it before you have tied your shoelaces to step out”.
Kabadiwala (honorable mention)
There’s plenty of scrap we willfully discard without thinking about its ecological impact. Not anymore. You can not only get rid of this scrap, but get paid as well. From their website — “The Kabadiwala with its acute understanding of waste has developed sustainable strategies & techniques to manage waste efficiently & cost-efficaciously contributing in closing the loop of product life cycle & attain circular economy while infusing sustainability into lives.”
Not to forget about rideshare apps like Uber, Lyft & Ola and food delivery on Zomato & Swiggy and homestay booking on Airbnb are doing just fine.
These are great examples of innovation, execution and a society ready for change.
Finally, there’s enough capital to prioritize convenience. Growing up in India, that was not true. Even having a car was a big deal. Most of us remember days of entire families commuting on one motorbike — i.e your parents, your siblings and you.
This is also a sign of markets willing to take a risk on these companies. Without that capital and appetite for risk, these companies cannot rise. As is true for any startup in the world. There were a few missteps, but Google wasn’t built in a day. The availability of capital determines who is leading the technological progress. The kind of progress that can rewrite how we live our daily lives.
Covid proved to have a silver lining by increasing adoption of digital payment systems. The development of UPI, Unified Payment Interface, ensured that inter-bank peer-to-peer (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions were standardized. This allowed for common person to access their bank and perform daily transactions on their mobile phone. In Jan’ 24 alone, $222.17 billion worth of transactions were processed.
So, if you have intentions for international travel, may I suggest India— with fascinating history, palpable human drive and technical revolution underway.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own, this is not a paid endorsement!
India was called ‘Sone ki chidiya’ -a land of gold before the invaders came and started looting it for their own good ! Indians have always been hardworking people and have potential to do anything , Taj Mahal wasn’t build in a day ,thousands of Indian labourers were involved to build it! It’s a land of opportunity and hard work now and it’s not what people think about India ! It is still the biggest Market in the world and most number of startup companies are set up in India and with its ever growing economy,nobody knows within 10 years where India is going to stand ! Covid brought lot of insecurities but these Apps like Zomato, blinkit, Big basket ,Uber,Ola,carchalak started doing lot of business! There were there before COVID also but it became a part and parcel of people’s lives and it gave lot of work to lot of people!
This vindicates India’s rightful place in digital world and how Indians have accepted the benefits of digital space in every day life !!👍👍