The Future of India's Rural Markets A Transformational Opportunity

A billion aspirational people, connected by technology, confident of their cultural and consumption power. If there is any group that has the potential to radically redefine a nation, it is rural Indians. By 2036, India is projected to be home to 1.52 billion people - having overtaken China around 2031 - with 931 million people still living in villages. Rural India is simply too large and too fast growing an agglomeration to ignore. This book maps their transformation, and shows how to realize their social and economic promise. It is a timely and important new work, ideal for students, scholars, marketing practitioners, and policy makers.

Foreword; Vijay Mahajan Introduction. The Changemakers PART A: Why does Rural India Matter, more than ever Chapter 1. The Intersection of Agriculture and Technology Chapter 2. The Impact and Challenge of Migration Chapter 3. Faster Economic Growth Chapter 4. Rural Women – A Catalytic Force Chapter 5. A Matter of Identity Chapter 6. Improvement in Health and Education Chapter 7. Financial Inclusion Chapter 8. Rural Road Connectivity and Electrification Chapter 9. Entrepreneurship with a Difference PART B: Manifestations of Change in Rural India Chapter 10. The Price of Onions Chapter 11. From Subsistence to Competitive Markets – The Modernization of India’s Agriculture Sector Chapter 12. From Farming to Services and Entrepreneurship Chapter 13. From Isolated, Male-Dominated Fiefdoms to Connected and Empowered Hubs – The New Gram Panchayat Chapter 14. From Media Dark to Connected Lives Chapter 15. From Handouts to Financial Growth Chapter 16. From Fatalism to Fearless Futures Chapter 17. From Empty Classrooms to Engaging Learning Chapter 18. From Medical Staff Shortages to Digital Healthcare Chapter 19. From Nautanki to Takatak Chapter 20. From Mud Paths to Rural Roads Chapter 21. From Cowdung as Fuel to Renewable Energy Chapter 22. From Haats and Melas to Technology-Enabled Marketplaces Chapter 23. From the Plough to Technology-Enabled Farming Chapter 24. From Rainfall Dependence to Participative Water Management Chapter 25. From Gram Pradhans to New Age Influencers PART C: How to be Meaningful Chapter 26. Build Trust across the Rural Customer Journey Chapter 27. Forge Partnerships for Rural Transformation Chapter 28. Leverage the Opportunity in Agricultural Exports Chapter 29. Understand the Role of Religion Chapter 30. Practice New Approaches in Participatory Research Chapter 31. Unlock Grassroots Innovation Conclusion. Changing the Game

Professional and scholarly

Kunal Sinha is an award-winning consumer foresight and strategy professional with over three decades of consulting, research and advisory experience across India, China, and Southeast Asia. A significant part of his career has focussed on unearthing insights, creating solutions for rural markets for corporates, non-profits, government, and start-ups, working with clients to shape their programs from the bottom-up; as well as teaching MBA and communications students how to design rural marketing engagements with empathy and creativity.