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Gowri N Kishore's avatar

In one of his myth-busting videos, Krish Ashok talks about how thousands of Indians who are actually rich believe they are middle-class because the gap between the rich and the super-rich is so stark. Living in gated communities inside metros, working in fast-growing companies, being online all the time, valuing time and convenience over anything else, we have no idea that any other kind of life is even possible. Because we haven't shopped from a local kirana store in many years, we believe reports that say nobody shops from kirana stores. (We may still not do anything to change our habits or support these kirana stores in any way, except perhaps write a tweet thread about it.)

I love the whole idea behind this newsletter, to examine all kinds of data to evaluate whether a popular or even a controversial piece of news is really true. Looking forward to more!

P.S. Half Ticket is a remake of the critically acclaimed 2014 Tamizh film Kakkamuttai (Crow's Egg).

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Hemant's avatar

Nice article. I think some of the younger generation literally lives off QSR. Ordering frappes on zepto, dunzo-ing things etc. I think the survey would not have captured this 'urbane' segment too.

But the broader issue, and this is where I sympathize with Kirana shop is the cash flow issue. A cursory look at balance sheet of these new age companies shows a very less debt. Almost always equity funded, because banks would not fund them. Only US based LPs looking for 'venture returns'. This problem is less pronounced in apparel retail and small shops have been able to hold off much better. Don't know if this would be a solution, but Govt should force these companies to be run like real businesses, where cash flow, investments and expansions are interlinked.

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