Analysis on the Business Opportunities

Article: A village in a million
The article, “A village in a million” written by “The economist” on December 16th 2010, shows a great insight into the Indian culture, highlighting with it the job opportunities that are beginning to arise as the country modernizes and with it how long-held and deeply embedded traditions are on the verge of becoming extinct.
Shahabpur is a small village located in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. For centuries defined by its ancient ways and unique and diverse culture it is slowly being modernized. Shahabpur is located very close to the tracks and therefore not far from cities such as Mumbai. As the world progresses at a rapid rate coincidentally so does India.
The farming in Shahabpur doesn’t bring in enough income, realising this many fathers send their children to work in factories in bigger cities, such as Mumbai furthermore many fathers are giving up their agricultural ways and moving towards factory work too, bringing in as much as 200rupees a day, twice what they can bring in back home.
The business opportunities that arise from this vast movement to industrial work, is the opening of many more stores in Shahabpur bazaar and the increased exchange in money. As money comes in, Shahabpur is growing; three local schools have been set up, with more children being able to attend because of increased financial stability in the family.
Parents are now realising the importance of education, for their children to have higher chances of succession in the future. However, on the downside not all children/fathers enjoy or much more settle into a hectic and demanding work schedule, of many hours per day of industrial work away and little time at home. In conclusion, bringing the family back to where they started with struggling income from an acre of land they own for a farm.
On the upside, a mobile company has been set up in Shahabpur and last year (2009) most families were said to own at least one mobile phone.
However this change happening slowly yet gradually brings with it a deepening sadness in the elders who are carriers of traditional artisan skills. These traditional skills that once brought in so much income, are now considered “useless” and “unnecessary”. Such skills include those of the pot maker (taken over by companies making and selling plastic dishes) and “traditional hymn songs” (to bless fields and inspire growth). Only one man still sings these songs for an income however has refused to pass the skill on as it is unnecessary in todays’ society.
Thus what once created this small society and brought and kept money afloat is now being taken away by the need to become wealthier due to the worlds rapid growth rate/the economic boom as the world continues to modernize.
More and more people are moving to cities to work and giving up their inherited careers. But whilst the eldest suffer, the young prosper and the village continues to grow economically bringing with it jobs needed for the others back home.