September 2009. Yateen Jambhale (23) rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he opened the door to his bungalow in Jambhuwaldi, a hamlet named after his family, 200 km south of Mumbai under a viaduct on the Pune-Bangalore highway.
Yateen’s is a story that is being played out in several villages across India, a testimony to a truism – infrastructure changes lives.
Till a few years ago, Yateen’s family depended on agriculture. They grew mainly wheat on the 10 acres they owned. But, they were far from secure – their fortunes depended on the vagaries of the monsoon and India’s notoriously poor agro support. Think distant markets, corrupt middlemen, low prices (it’s the middlemen who make all the money in agriculture; while farmers get little for their produce, grain and other food prices are skyrocketing; inflation for June stood at 9.44%) and poor storage.
The re-laid highway and viaduct changed the Jambhales’ lives. Builders paid them good money to rent a patch of their land, where they mix concrete and transport it to their sites in nearby Pune. Cell phone companies pay them rent after erecting towers on their land to ensure unbroken connectivity on the highway.
The family has now erected two bungalows and started a water tanker business, which is flourishing.
When I met Yateen, on a reporting tour across parts of Maharashtra just before the state elections, he told me he was the first graduate in his village. The next step, he said, was an MBA in human resources. When I asked him where, he casually said: “Wales.”
My look of surprise was met by a dismissive one. “What’s the big deal?” the youth clad in branded T-shirt and track pants seemed to say. Based on the family’s earnings, banks were willing to lend him money. “I’m only waiting for my visa,” he said.
Yesterday, Yateen contacted me through my blog. “I’ve completed my MBA…” he wrote. He’s now working in London for a textiles firm as a trainee manager.
Yateen’s dream has been realised. His journey from tranquil Jambhulwadi to bustling London, via the Pune-Bangalore highway, is complete.
Shashi said,
July 18, 2011 at 4:51 am
Wonderful story! This is where hope resides.
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 18, 2011 at 5:34 am
Thanks, Shashi.
Jan Forrester said,
July 18, 2011 at 5:32 am
Hi Ashraf, liked the two latest articles. Infrastructure does change lives – community and business. This is a great example. cheers Jan
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 18, 2011 at 5:34 am
Thanks, Jan. Hope all’s well with you in Kabul. Have been staying abreast of developments there. Some of it is disturbing. But, knowing Afghans, they’ll simply wear their broad smiles and get on with life.
Namit Gupta said,
July 18, 2011 at 7:48 am
Nice story, Ashraf. However, if a million farmers like Yateen give away their land for non-agricultural use, then you are staring a huge disaster in the face. Hoarding and greedy middlemen are just one part of the inflation problem. Here we are faced with a increasing population and falling agricultural output per acre. Now if even the total area of land under agriculture is diverted for industrial use, you can well imagine what will happen to this country’s food security a few years down the line.
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 18, 2011 at 8:57 am
I agree. However, in Yateen’s case, a very small part of their land is being used for non-agricultural purposes. Or a least it was when I met him. What they’ve done is the equivalent of business diversification, reducing their dependence on any one source of income.
Dilnaz said,
July 18, 2011 at 9:26 am
Loved the story
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 18, 2011 at 9:27 am
Thanks, Dil.
zoneofsilence said,
July 18, 2011 at 10:41 am
And to think we are still called a 3rd world country -damn! A great story which deserves attention. Truly a world of a difference for Yateen!
vasuki said,
July 18, 2011 at 10:52 am
Good one Ashraf.
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 18, 2011 at 10:53 am
Thanks, Vasu.
Surajit Patro said,
July 18, 2011 at 11:39 am
Everybody can realise their dreams with the right effort and attitude.
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 18, 2011 at 11:47 am
Yes, they can, Surajit. What you mentioned are the critical elements.
Shashi said,
July 19, 2011 at 9:58 am
Ashraf/Namit Gupta – You know, don’t you, that Indians are buying up agricultural land in Kenya because urbanization, SEZs, deforestation etc etc are leading us to a land shortage…
Ashraf Engineer said,
July 19, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Yes, I’ve read about it.
rahconteur said,
November 30, 2011 at 5:57 am
Thank god your ancestors aren’t from Kabul, or we’d have been tempted to call you Kabuliwalla…
On a serious not, nice post…
Ashraf Engineer said,
November 30, 2011 at 5:59 am
Thanks, Rahul