The impact of westernization in India

We live in the modern era of globalization. Ever since the opening up of the economy, as foreign goods started flowing into India, we have been a part of the large global market. In the olden days, whenever someone was coming back home from a foreign tour, the exotic chocolates and perfumes were a must! These days, we get nearly every product of every brand here in India. This has blurred the differences between borders and has also contributed in raising the standards of our indigenous goods here as well.

If someone from the 1960s had travelled in time to visit the present-day India, he would probably have found it hard to recognize his own country - such has been the impact of globalization. The impact of western culture and lifestyle on Indians has been tremendous and all-pervasive. Hardly would you see a man on the road in our cities today who is dressed in traditional Indian attire; it has been relegated only to festivals and special occasions. The same goes for Indian women too!

Westernization has made a substantial impact on our food habits as well. Gone are the days when samosas were our sole primary snack. These days, we have a large variety of options to choose from – KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway and Café Coffee Day have become our new go-to places for a quick meal. Not to mention the universally loved pizza too! Though, of course, samosas, kachoris and pani-puri have held their ground well amongst a multitude of foreign savouries – giving us the best of both worlds. Though it has given us the choice of multiple cuisines, westernization has also brought in its wake a multitude of diseases such as obesity and diabetes – which were much less common in India earlier. In terms of consumer products too, foreign products have flooded the market. The Indian customer in the 21^st century has access to the best of brands from across the world.

The impact of westernization has often been construed as negative and an impediment to the legacy of our heritage – however, it is not always a bad thing. Perhaps the biggest positive impact of westernization in India has been in the field of medicine. The introduction of evidence-based modern medicine in India has led to a great benefit in the overall health status in our country. It has also, to a large extent, driven away several superstitious practices and beliefs that were prevalent in India and were causing great harm to our people. On the other hand, the western world has also benefited from the positive impacts of yoga and other traditional Indian forms of medicine. Education in India has also been bolstered by westernization – the fact that English is taught at a young age in many schools in India, unlike some other Asian countries, has given us an edge in several jobs and research positions all over the world.

Thus, westernization is a double-edged sword that has both positive and negative impacts. It is a phenomenon that is changing our lives at a rapid rate.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.