(By Shivaji Dasgupta) It is true that the affluent citizens of India enjoy a lifestyle that is often unfairly privileged, compared to their less prolific peers — in terms of possessions, facilities and opportunities.
It is equally correct that the recent pandemic has seriously shaken this perception of privilege as so many of the wealthier populace succumbed to its perils.
This, in turn, may well lead to a socio-cultural reconciliation that is nothing short of a minor revolution, albeit through an unfortunate conduit.
It is essential to start with healthcare as the well-endowed can now access the finest treatment for cancer, heart disease and so much more.
But the cure for this virus rests in scalable optimality and not maximising science, which is exactly where the national unification of grief emerged.
In spite of gargantuan bank balances and insurance policies, the sheer unavailability of ICU beds led to deplorable fatalities, in tandem with comorbidities often derived from exceptional indulgences.
Till recently, the poorer rural sections were relatively unscathed as cities bore the brunt of the carnage.
This narrative extends effortlessly to the softer domains of foreign holidays and ravishing SUVs as we were pretty much stuck at home — whether a villa or a shanty.
Fine dining restaurants were rendered unserviceable and the restriction of guests to 50 made weddings sadly abbreviated.
So many NRIs are stuck in India, unable to flee to their first-world havens.
Those who had shunned the humble kirana store for the dashing aggregators were forced to backtrack for supply of milk, cheese and eggs.
Internet connectivity remained the steadfast equaliser — as an enabler of work, sustenance and indulgence.
Even the vaccine centres are designed for universal access and it is pleasing that a black market nexus did not spontaneously emerge.
We realise today that our lives are no more special than those who serve us and that affluence is a misleading surrogate for genuine metrics.
A truthful representation of this being the crematorium chaos, where no amount of wealth could ensure priority or even dignity during the final moments.
Across experiences, whether sordid or delightful, the gap between the rich and poor is narrowing as we are reconnecting with the basic tenets of survival.
But then, one day soon, all this will end but this wake-up call must lead to a better societal equilibrium, by both intuition and persuasion.
There is no better chance or timing for barriers to be bridged and inclusiveness becoming a much-needed stock in trade.
This is exactly where brands and influencers must contribute in a decisive manner, shedding their historical patterns of conformity.
An instant noodles ad must depict street children dining with condominium kids during a birthday party while an ad for a toilet cleaner reinforces the task as a joint family activity.
Successful urban families must introduce the joys of Jabalpur, Bhopal and Hampi to their next-gen, in abundant partnership with the Singapore junkets.
Home-cooked food must make a due comeback as a delicacy and not just staple while gadget-free family time becomes a conversation starter.
Spirituality is a valuable support system and this must be entrenched in our DNA while public places get repositioned as community crucibles, like the Western world.
Schooling must truly become inclusive once again as bespoke private education is contradictory to inclusive social existence.
While the pandemic has been a distressing global tragedy, the imbalanced culture of privilege has been an emerging urban tragedy for many years.
It is driven mostly by first-generation successes who refuse to embrace universal virtues of equality while strangely reviving traditional markers of prejudice.
If the cities talk to the towns and villages, India will truly become stronger.
(The author is Managing Director, Inexgro brand advisory)