Blimey. Just like that. A decade. The Noughties. Gone in another 40,000 seconds or so. Welcome to the Tennies.
Naturally we all like to define the end of another 10 years. What’s to say? Got married, had a son, worked hard to reclaim a rung on the prosperity rung, made a bit of money on property, gave up most vices, published my book, downsized, went to India, became a Bollywood actor.
Not bad but still a long way from being comfortable or as a travelling mate of mine once said: Still alive, don’t forget. So what of the next ten years, and more to the point, what of India’s next ten years?
The safe money would appear to be on India taking over the world as a junior partner of China Inc by 2020, but I beg strongly to differ. Yes, India will probably grow by 7% this year, but it has absolutely no chance of being a serious player for at least two generations because its way of doing business remains ephemeral.
Lovely, beautiful Rajasthani artwork that falls apart after a couple of months, landlords that prefer to rip off tenants for 12 months and then have an property lay empty for two years, schools (especially the shameless European School in Goa) that operate different tariffs based on the gullibility of contributing parents, a Government that grants a separatist state independence then rescinds it a few days later… I could go on.
Then there are the roads. To keep up with China’s gleaming transport systems, India would need to spend $16 billion on roads in the next two years. Not only are they more dangerous than making sharing jockstraps with a Nigerian banker’s son who studied in London, but they kill Indians.
And that’s not only the egregious number of deaths caused by psychopathic drivers who passed their driving test by bribing their instructors, but because they are in such a shocking condition that more than 40 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables rot every year because either they aren’t picked up in time or unrefrigerated trucks can’t get to market quickly enough.
Some estimate that more than 50% of India’s total rice production is lost between field and table and this is a country where more than 30% of its population lives below the poverty line. Who gives a toss in rural India if an Indian rocket found water on the moon when the water in the local well is poisoned?
And that is the challenge for India. To bring the living standard of its non-urban population to one of dignity and equality. It’s a long way from the opulence of Turner Street to a benighted hectare in Assam and an impoverished farmer hanging from a tree because of urban loan sharks.
Perhaps it is finally time for India to stop revelling in its image as a land of contrasts and sort its act out. Contrasts are all very well, but not much fun if you’re on the arse-end of that contrast.
So, predictions. In ten years’ time I’ll be happy to keep learning from books and hoping my son passes his exams. As for India, more of the same and not much different from today. Has potential, but must do much, much better.
Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.
