Category: Trends

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Seven Best Indian Cities to Live in 2021

If you’re planning a move to kickstart your higher studies or career in 2021, you must check our list first.
by Team Metrognome | editor@themetrognome.in

Whether you’re looking for cultural diversity, delectable cuisines, beautiful heritage sights or festivities and fun, India is the place for you. With its potpourri of people, life in the country can be colourful, vibrant, even stressful but never boring. Across its 29 states are some of the best cities in the world to live and work in. With robust infrastructure, world-class amenities, and sustainable development efforts, these mega-cities have become economic growth centres, offering some of the best employment opportunities and residence facilities in India. So, if you’re planning a cross-country move to kickstart your higher studies or career in 2021, look no further than our list. Counting backward, here are the 7 best cities to live in India:

7: Hyderabad

We love travelling to Hyderabad to gaze at its magnificent monuments and get a taste of the famous Biryani. But the city is also a great place to take up permanent residence. A densely populated metropolis with people bustling in and out of cafes, offices, and even temples, Hyderabad is fast turning into the New York of South India. The city has built its credentials as an IT hub. It also boasts top-class infrastructure for commerce, residence, education, transportation and more. Ever heard of a place where the residential and business areas are evenly distributed across the city to provide a hassle-free life with less congestion and traffic? That’s Hyderabad for you – a thoughtfully-planned place to live and work.

6: Kolkata

The ‘City of Joy’, Kolkata is a city that brings the British Raj alive with its Victorian-style architecture, trams and rich cultural heritage. If you’re planning to settle somewhere cost-effective or prioritise a modest lifestyle, let Kolkata be your choice. You will be astonished to see the historical monuments, lavish food, unique culture and amazing people. In this city, everything is available at a reasonable price – from garments to transportation, accommodation to food. If you’re an art lover or a history buff, this is the place for you. So, if you’re planning to have a refreshing life, head to Kolkata.

5: Chennai

The fourth-largest city in India, Chennai is home to many temples, churches and beaches. The roads are always bustling with activity, and the city’s nightlife is what most of us dream of – exciting, accessible yet comfortable. The city was also recognised as the 9th best cosmopolitan city in the world by Lonely Planet. Although Chennai is a humid city and the weather can be a bummer, one can always head out to its popular beaches and explore the coastline for some respite at the end of a hard-working day. With a robust business landscape (did you know the city is home to 1/3rd of India’s automobile manufacturing plants?), Chennai is making its mark as one of the best cities to live and work in India.

4: Pune

With top-notch educational and IT facilities, Pune is usually the youngster’s pick for where to live in India. The city has a variety of excellent restaurants, historical sites and funky nightlife spots where you can often find its denizens living the good life. Even the weather here is enviable – with summer temperatures that stay below 35°C (not too hot, when compared to Mumbai and Delhi) and the perfect amount of drizzle and rain, all year-long. Wherever you may go and live, Pune is likely to be the most nostalgic place for you.

3: New Delhi

From historical monuments to crowded shopping malls, from Mughal gardens to the Delhi University campus, the capital city has multiple facets to explore. And it’s these different shades that make New Delhi one of the best places to live and work in India. Although it can seem quite crowded, you don’t want to miss out on its world-class edifices and mouth-watering traditional Indian street food. This is one addictively sociable, dynamic and vivacious city that will absorb you into its layers and never really let you go. Also, for the record, Delhi has the second most efficient and accessible metro service in the world. Now if that doesn’t get you everywhere conveniently, what can?

2: Mumbai

We already know Mumbai as the ‘Land of Bollywood’ and the ‘Financial Capital of India’, so it’s hardly a surprise that the city is one of the best places to live in India. Despite the relatively high cost of living, slums and heavy traffic, the citizens of Mumbai enjoy some of the country’s best educational institutes, healthcare facilities and business opportunities. Its fun shopping and hangout spots, lively beaches and exciting nightlife draw thousands of people to its shores every year.

1: Bangalore

The dream city for most Indians, Bangalore will never cease to mesmerise you. Considered one of the best places to work, the city is home to many of the country’s leading IT companies and start-ups. Great entertainment and shopping options, an eclectic art and culture scene, delectable cuisine options and pleasant weather – Bangalore really has it all. As a metropolis, the cost of living in Bangalore can be higher when compared to other popular southern Indian cities like Chennai or Hyderabad, especially if you’re looking at traditional housing options. But as India’s own Silicon Valley, it’s one of the most sought-after cities in the country. So even the cost of living in Bangalore can be evened out when you consider professionally managed operators like Stanza Living who offer accommodation coupled with the best amenities (delicious meals, high-speed Wi-Fi, laundry, housekeeping, maintenance and 24/7 security) at the most reasonable rates, making Bangalore accessible to a variety of budgets.

There you have it. Attracting thousands of young migrants each year, these seven Indian cities are ideal for young students and professionals looking to learn, grow and develop into ambitious and enterprising individuals with aspirations to change the world. All these cities offer great opportunities and could give you the big break you’ve been waiting for. So, update your resumes and pack your bags. It’s time for new and exciting beginnings in some of the best cities of India.

(Picture courtesy img.traveltriangle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/shutterstock_702408349.jpg)

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Delhi Pollution: It’s all social media is talking about

Social media is abuzz with discussions and opinions on the New Delhi pollution issue, with Twitter chatter being the loudest.
by Meltwater India

Voted as one of the most populated cities in the world for several consecutive years, New Delhi, India’s bustling capital, is facing some serious health risks too. Due to over-population and severe pollution, the city’s atmosphere is often hazy with smoke and fog.

This month, though, the air pollution has reached a point of severity that is out of the ordinary. On Tuesday, The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared a public health emergency. They have advised schools to be shut, and for the public to avoid walking or running outside, as the air pollution is said to be hazardous.

In November last year, one million school children were forced to stay home from school, thousands of workers reported sick and long queues formed outside shops selling face masks as the Indian capital struggled with its worst pollution level in two decades.

2017 is showing similar degrees of danger, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) sitting on an average level of 400 and reaching over 700 in the early morning and during most afternoons. To put it in perspective, anything over 100 is considered dangerous, and 500 is the maximum AQI level. This means that even healthy people are at a high risk of developing serious respiratory problems.

Meltwater, the global leader in media intelligence, took to the (virtual) streets to listen to what the public is saying on social media about the health emergency.

Mapping the chatter

In a week, since November 1, the terms “New Delhi” and “pollution” have appeared together 1,965 times on online editorial media in India alone, and has received 2, 339 mentions across social media.

92% of the mentions were from Twitter, where the sentiment was 50% negative (only 2% positive and the rest neutral). “Risk,” “dangerous” and “health” were among the most used words when discussing the New Delhi pollution problem. Some citizens spoke about having a “scratchy throat” and “sore eyes” specifically since Diwali, held this year on 19 October.

“Runners” was also a hot topic being spoken about across social media platforms with 177 mentions this week.

The India Medical Association urged the iconic New Delhi Half Marathon, due to take place on 19 November, to be called off in order to protect runners, marshals and spectators from exposure to the thin and low-quality air. With even healthy people being warned not to walk outdoors, it’s been advised that it would be too dangerous to allow the runners to over-exert themselves, and urged the race to be cancelled for the safety of all.

Today, social media is an opportunity to gauge public opinion and sentiment. Meltwater believes that companies and individuals can benefit from these insights to better understand needs, contextualise them and then to improve company strategy.

This refers to a wide range of possibilities. IMA is an example of how governments can use social insights as a guide to making more informed decisions. Event sponsorships is an example of how companies can use this data for better, more informed decisions to benefit the public.

Media intelligence lets companies, organisations or individuals use social insights to gather external data to make better internal decisions. There is an abundance of data out there, and millions of online conversations happening at any given minute. Meltwater helps you to make sense of it all.

(Picture courtesy The Weather Network)

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The season’s top 3 watches for men

The T-Classic Collection by Tissot has superb timepieces for the suave man, guaranteed to make a superb, lasting first impression.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

A lot has been said about the unmatched charm of a well-dressed man but what’s often taken for granted is the ability of a watch to elevate your look and leave a lasting first impression. Wearing a luxurious watch inevitably puts you in the category of people who respect the value of time and have a polished, timeless sense of style. One of the biggest players in the business, Tissot has carved a niche in the world of timekeeping by setting unparalleled standards in terms of technology, functionality and aesthetics.

The Tissot T-Classic Collection is a true embodiment of the priceless, undying charm associated with a classic watch, especially a gorgeous mechanical timepiece with a beating heart. In this fast-paced world, a classic watch is an invaluable possession and the Internet has made it easier than ever to browse through varied collections of timekeepers and find a great price for classic watches like Tissot.

The T-Classic Collection exemplifies that when it comes to watches, the design is just as important as practicality. It is a mirror reflection of the Swiss watch legacy, known especially for its dependability and durability. The wide range of timepieces is a favourite among many watch lovers, often found being passed on as heirlooms. Given the emotional and material value associated with your wristwatch, you need to pay special attention not just to your choice of brand but also where to buy the watch from. When looking for Tissot Watches in India, it is best to opt for reliable, trusted retailers such as Ethos Watch Boutiques, to ensure seamless sales and after-sales experience.

Here are 3 top watches from the range that are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression:

Tissot 11 Tissot T-Classic: Le Locle (Model No: T006.428.36.058.00)

The name Le Locle itself is a sign of reliability and success. Apart from signifying the Swiss Jura Mountains – heritage and home of Tissot – Le Locle is also the name of a strongly admired range of automatic watches, setting a cornerstone in the world of timekeeping. The classic, round dial is complemented with a traditional black leather strap, making for a versatile addition to your wardrobe. It is a highly elegant and sophisticated timepiece, made special with the addition of the trademark Le Locle signature and roman numerals. The T-Classic Le Locle will give you great company from the early hours of the morning to wee hours of the night.

2 Tissot T-Classic: Tradition (Model No: T063.428.22.038.00)

The perfect blend of everlasting design and modern watchmaking technology, the T-Tissot 2Classic Tradition by Tissot is extremely high-tech in its operation and mechanics. But what makes it truly unique is the intelligent hint of vintage style. The watch features a subtly curved sapphire crystal case and guilloche decoration, strapped in with a sophisticated silver steel and yellow gold strap. It also boasts of a date and small second’s keeper.

One would be understating when calling this beauty a faultless amalgamation of top-in-class functionality and ageless aesthetics. The simplicity of the timepiece makes it an ideal companion for everyday use. Be it a 9am meeting or a candle light dinner by the pool, it’ll speak volumes about your personality wherever you go.

3 Tissot T-Classic: Classic Dream (Model No: T033.410.16.013.01)

True to its name, the Classic Dream from Tissot’s T-Classic Collection is nothing short of a beautiful dream. Contemporary meets nostalgia with this one as the timepiece Tissot 3features a brown leather strap with a classic white dial. Made of sapphire crystal, the round steel case is 38mm in size and features Quartz movement. The watch is ideal for a contemporary man who is close to his roots but lives in the modern world. Adding this watch to your wardrobe will serve as a daily reminder that you must strive to be on top of your game every day, just like the pointed hands of the gorgeous timepiece.

All the above-mentioned models from Tissot’s T-Classic Collection make an important statement. They add an essence of timeless sophistication and classic elegance to the wearer’s wardrobe. Choose a timepiece that feels most true to yourself and your personality, one that’ll complement your style any day of the year.

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India’s digital commerce market to touch $128 bn in 2017?

ASSOCHAM’s research report pits the growth of the digital commerce space at a staggering $128 billion by the year 2017.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The digital commerce market in India is likely to touch $128 billion in 2017 from the current level of $42 billion in 2015 due to increase in mobile and Internet penetration, m-commerce sales, different payment options, exciting discounts, according to the joint study brought out by ASSOCHAM and Deloitte.

With an increasing mobile and internet penetration, m-commerce sales, advanced shipping and payment options, exciting discounts, and the push into new international markets by e-businesses are the major drivers of this unprecedented growth.

The digital commerce market in India has grown steadily from $4.4 billion in 2010 to $13.6 billion in 2014, according to a study on ‘Future of e-Commerce: Uncovering Innovation’, jointly conducted by The Associated chamber of commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Deloitte.

The M&A deals (Softbank’s $627 million deal with Snapdeal, Flipkart acquired Myntra for $370 million, Ola Cabs acquired TaxiForSure for $200 million) and sky-rocket valuation of these e-commerce giants rising in last one year shows that the sector is heating up. The question would be whether these valuations are sustainable despite showing no signs of profitability. The global players like Amazon and Alibaba have deep pockets to rely on their parent companies for continuous funding support. The homegrown players would definitely need different metrics to preserve the investor confidence build in the sector.

Big retailers are increasingly focussing on their digital strategies in order to gain the obvious benefits of online platforms – wider reach, always on, personalisation, to name a few. E-commerce companies are concentrating their efforts on increasing the penetration of their mobile apps for higher growth. Big players in this space claim to have more than 50% of their revenue coming from mobile apps.

While releasing the paper, DS Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM said, “The supply chain and logistics in e-commerce business are highly complex to manage in a vast country like India where infrastructure is not well-developed to reach every remote and rural area. The taxation policies for the e-businesses are not well-defined depending on different business models and transaction types. The complexity has further amplified with transactions happening across borders for online selling of goods and services. Moreover, e-businesses do not take sufficient steps to deploy a security solution, which is hindering the consumer from transacting online.”

Newer technologies that could significantly bring a paradigm shift in the online businesses are analytics, autonomous vehicles, social commerce, and 3D printing. Companies have started to invest in data analytics to gain real-time insights into customer buying behavior and thus offer personalized user experience. The e-commerce companies are building communities on social media networks to better understand customer needs and to drive effective marketing strategies, noted study.

The future of e-commerce is bright and growth will come from mobile platforms, personalisation, social media analytics, omni-channel service, and sharing economy business models. The e-commerce industry is in an exciting place with the interplay of social, mobility, analytics, cloud (SMAC), digital, 3D and, virtualisation. The current high valuations, in spite of losses, perhaps, are indicative of the future potential.

Increasing Internet and mobile penetration, growing acceptability of online payments and favourable demographics has provided the e-commerce sector in India the unique opportunity to fundamentally alter the way companies connect with their customers.

Online travel, one of the key drivers of India’s e-commerce market, accounts for nearly 71% of e-commerce business in India. Though the online retail market in India, currently at $1.6 billion, is a miniscule fraction of India’s overall $500 billion retail industry; retail e-commerce has recorded a three-fold growth since 2011, predominantly driven by million dollar investments by domestic and foreign investors.

On the other hand, mobile commerce (m-commerce) is growing rapidly as a stable and secure supplement to the e-commerce industry. Shopping online through smart phones is proving to be a game changer, and industry leaders believe that m-commerce could contribute up to 70% of their total revenues.

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41% children in Mumbai slums are underweight

Study reveals shocking levels of malnutrition, lack of optimum weight and low access to nutrition among city’s slum dwelling children.
by Child Relief and You (CRY)

As many as 41 per cent of children below the age of six years in the slums of Mumbai are underweight, according to a study conducted by volunteers of CRY- Child Rights and You (CRY) for children below the age of 6 years. The children do not fare any better with respect to the other indicators of malnutrition. The percentage of children found to be suffering from stunting stands at 71 per cent and is significantly higher than what has been found in the NFHS figure of 47 per cent in 2005-06.

Nutrition and immunisation are most critical for a child’s survival in the first six years of his or her life. Shockingly, even the immunization coverage in the slums in Mumbai is much worse than expected. Only half of the children, 49 per cent under the age of three years, have received any vaccination at all (at least one vaccine).

These children dwelling in the most underprivileged sections of the city, most of them belonging to migrant families bear the maximum impact of urban poverty; especially in the absence of caregivers, who are mostly engaged in informal economic roles.

This household survey on early childhood was conducted in slums across five major metropolitans in India namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The slums in the five metros do not show a positive trend with respect to child nutrition. Chennai has the most number of children battling malnutrition in its slums, with 62.2 per cent being underweight; Kolkata and Delhi slums have 49 and 50 per cent underweight children, according to this study. Bangalore fares slightly better, with 33 per cent children found to be underweight.

Even as Aanganwadi Centres (AWCs) remain one of the most important institutions for ensuring nutrition, health and early education of children below 6 years, only 46 per cent children dwelling in slums are enrolled. In Mumbai, the enrollment in AWCs in slum children stood at a despondent figure of 62 per cent.

Only 36 per cent of parents whose children were enrolled in AWCs reported that the growth monitoring was happening on a monthly basis.

The ICDS scheme also provides for health services including de-worming, IFA (Iron tablets) and Vitamin A dosage. More than a third of the children in the 5 cities surveyed had not been de-wormed. In Mumbai, 19% children did not receive the Vitamin A, 40% do not receive IFA supplement and about 27 % had not been de-wormed.

A significant proportion of parents whose children are going to private pre-schools and other institutions do not believe that their children are receiving essential services for their health and survival. So far you can infer that, while the Aanganwadi worker is providing the services within the institution, provisioning services through community outreach continues to remain a challenge. An indicator that substantiates the gap between the service and the community is the fact that though growth monitoring was done for 70 per cent of children, only 48 per cent of parents were informed. In Mumbai, for instance, 62 per cent of parents were not informed that their child is malnourished.

While there is an evident need for improvement, the study shows significant positive perception of parents towards Aanganwadi centres. 89 percent of parents feel safe in sending their child to AWCs and 98 percent perceive the Aanganwadi to be child friendly.

(Picture courtesy www.wsj.com. Image is used for representational purpose only)

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Low women’s education leads to early marriages?

A fact finding report reveals links between the level of women’s education in India and their subsequent status in life.
by Child Relief and You (CRY)

In India, all issues related to girl children ranging from female infanticide, domestic child labour to prevention of girl child trafficking are all enormously challenging tasks requiring sustained efforts on part of all duty bearers. Like all other rights viz Right to Nutrition, Development, Protection and Participation, a girl’s Right to Education continues to remain a critical and seemingly insurmountable challenge.

Last few years have seen a significant improvement in school enrollment at primary education, however, the same is not the case with secondary and higher secondary level. The Net Enrollment, which is a measure of the percentage of girls who attend school age-appropriately, is 89% at the primary level, and it drops to a meager 32% in higher secondary education (Source: Unified-District Information System on Education (U-DISE) 2014-15).

The link between low education and early marriage

Today India is leading in the total number of child brides globally. There is abundant documented evidence linking lack of education to early marriage, particularly for girls. There are also available studies showing the link between low education level of mothers and the early marriage of their daughters. NFHS-3 (2005-06) revealed that more than 85% of the surveyed girls who were married before the age of 18 had mothers who had received less than 10 years or no education.

We also have a high number of girls working as domestic workers and those who constantly face issues of protection. At a micro level the work demands convincing parents of the girl child to continue her schooling; changing attitude and practices of communities and closely tracking that no girl child drops from school. The need of the hour is to invest adequately in secondary and higher secondary education for this segment of population, so that our girls stay away from these multiple vulnerabilities.

The figures on the ground

The RTE Act (2009) covers children between the ages of 6 to 14 years, and enables free and compulsory education at the primary and upper primary levels. However, in absence of any legislation for children above the age of 14 years the scenario at the secondary and higher secondary level unfortunately remains dismal. The average annual dropout rate for girls rises from 4.14% at primary level to 17.8% at secondary level (Source: U-DISE 2013-14). Access to education post the elementary level continues to be a huge challenge, considering only 15.4% of schools in India offer secondary education and further still only about 7% of the schools offer higher secondary education.

Year % of Privately Owned Secondary Schools % of Privately owned Higher Secondary Schools
2010-11 54.8%
2011-12 Data not available
2012-13 52.38 54.04
2013-14 54.76 55.57
2014-15 55.52 58.79
Table-1 showing share of privately owned[1] schools in India (U-DISE statistics)

Back in 1966, the education commission (1964-66) chaired by DS Kothari recommended that India should allocate 6% of its GDP. Later this figure was challenged and revised by many scholars but the fact still remains that India is nowhere close this figure in terms of spending on education. More than 55% of schools offering secondary and higher secondary education in the country are not State-owned which renders them unaffordable to children of low income households (Source: U-DISE 2014-15). On the other hand the share of State owned schools have not seen any significant increase over the years.

STATE % OF PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS % OF PRIVATE HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Maharashtra 92 94.8
Uttar Pradesh 90.44 94.1
Gujarat 86.65 91.78
Karnataka 64.94 68.32
Kerala 67.92 64.72
Table -2-Top 5 states having private ownership of secondary and higher secondary schools (U-DISE 2014-15)

Only in 10 out of 36 States in the country does the Government currently have an ownership share of two thirds or more of both secondary and senior secondary schools. The issue of privately-owned schools needs further attention in States such as Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh where the percentage of private schools is more than 90% at the secondary and higher secondary level.

According to the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP), household expenditure for children going to private schools is higher (Rs. 893/- per month) than for Government schools (Rs. 275/- per month). The lack of access to secondary and higher education coupled with this challenge of affordability certainly impacts the girl child most since traditionally, families are more likely to invest in the education of the male child and girls tend to be married off early. There are over 4.6 million married children in India the age group of 15-17 years (eligible for secondary and higher secondary education), of which more than 70% (3.35 million) are girls.

Kreeanne Rabadi, Regional Director, CRY – Child Rights and You adds, “Mindsets to educate girl child are changing in India. Even in the most remote villages, many parents want to send their daughter to school. We need to drastically increase resources to meet these demands of making secondary and higher level education, affordable and easily accessible to girl child.”

(Picture courtesy www.realyouth.org. Image is used for representational purpose only)

 

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