Eleven Years Later
In 2009 I posted about what had changed in Bangalore in 10 years.
It's now 2020 and time to write again about what has changed in the last 11 years.
So where are we in 2020?
Let me compare with my expectations of 2009.
I had written: Where will be in 2019 ? In Bangalore, I expect we will have better public transport, more disputes about water, children demanding better education, more private enterprise and lesser government in daily life.
The Metro has come up in parts of the city, but the parts with the most traffic - BTM Layout to KR Puram does not have good public transport. Buses are infrequent, drive rashly and are unpredictable.
Most large residential communities depend on water tankers to deliver water.
The quality of education has not significantly changed since 2009. Children are still being thrust with the rote learning that we had hoped would end with our generation.
There is more government in daily life and less accountability.
What else has changed?
The biggest change is the mobile penetration - many large players from 2009 have disappeared. New players like Jio have revolutionized the market. Everyone has a smartphone - and data.
Mindfulness, meditation and yoga are mainstream. People need cures from mental ailments as much as physical ailments. Digital Detox is the new diet.
Jobs we never imagined in 2009 have come up - the gig economy has created unprecedented employment opportunities - Uber, Ola, Swiggy, Zomato, enabling many to escape the poverty trap.
People whose parents did not have regular employment have moved into white-collar jobs. My carpenter's daughter is a teacher in a nearby school where my neighbors kids go. My plumber has discovered the importance of a passive income stream and is working on building a house for rent in his hometown. On the downside, many people have given up agriculture due to water scarcity and poor incomes and become Uber drivers.
Green spaces are disappearing at an alarming rate. Roads which were lined with paddy fields a few years ago are now sprouting apartments. Build the houses and then worry about utilities is the driving philosophy abetted by corrupt builders, bureaucracy and an apathetic public.
International holidays are no longer exotic events - a weekend trip to Singapore is cheaper than flying from Bangalore to Kolkata.
Cash has gone digital - UPI has revolutionized the money transfer experience - Transferring money is ridiculously easy with a variety of mobile based option. The combination of the new technology, demonetization and Covid-19 has meant that I have gone completely cashless in the last 3 months.
Neighborhood grocery and medical stores have realized they need to compete not with other stores but with ecommerce giants like Amazon. Now all I need to do is Whatsapp a list of items to them and they home deliver within an hour. There is no way even the most optimized supply chain can compete with this.
Engineering and Medicine are no longer the only options for smart students. New college grads no longer think of entrepreneurship as a remote possibility, but something they start right from the college dorms. Going to US is no longer the dream after college.
A combination of talent, technology and self-confidence has brought out remarkable changes.
What do I hope to see in 2030?
More citizen involvement in local government and more accountability
Sustainable development
Grassroots change in primary education
More focus on tradition and indigenous medicine which has been lost in the craze to adopt Western systems
A virtuous circle of education and industry that work in tandem to create new businesses with social impact - and not just better grocery delivery apps
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