Namaste from India!
Mason Jones, 12 August 2013, 06:30
Namaste! Or welcome from India! After nearly 24 hours of traveling, over 12000 kilometers of flying, spanning across dozens of countries, spending time in four airports, and moving ahead ten and a half hours in time zones, we have finally landed and made it to India.
Over the next two weeks we will be updating you daily (provided we have a WiFi connection) via our blogs, our twitter account @TheIndiaImpact, and our Facebook page, all of which have a link at the bottom of this website. We hope to include pictures and videos of our journey and share them all with you while abroad and once we return. For the loved ones wishing us safe travels you should be receiving updates regularly as well.
As we begin our journey in India we thought we could give a brief overview of India as a whole. India is filled with a vast opportunity for growth and expansion. Currently India has more than 490 million people in the labor force which has yet to even peak. It is also expected that the middle class will reach 580 million people by the year 2030. This along with an average GDP growth projection of 8% and currently being one of the leading countries of technology, especially in the city of Bangalore, this makes India filled with opportunity! India is among the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), which represent the world’s fastest growing economies. These countries have a massive impact on other economies across the globe, and are continually increasing their impact on global markets. As a result of this growth, it can be expected that that this generation’s SELF graduates will undoubtedly work with individuals and companies of these countries in their careers.
Our first stop in India is Trivandrum, or as it is known to the natives, Thiruvananthapuram, and is an academic hub of India. I am a little obsessed with The Amazing Race so as they say it on the show this will serve as the “pit stop” for this leg of the SELF Fellows’ Capstone experience. Trivandrum is among India’s greenest cities, with beaches, museums, zoos, palaces, temples, and natural landmarks. Trivandrum is home to the Asian School of Business, where the majority of connections between KU and India are sourced. Very shortly we will be meeting with Asian School of Business after months of planning and preparation with them and we are so excited to be here.
We have just begun our two week long journey but we are so happy that you have chosen to follow along on our journey with us. Feel free to visit the “Contact” page on the website and ask any questions you have for us and we will be sure to get in touch with you!
Once again hello from India and thanks again to everyone involved in helping make The India Impact a reality!
Rock Chalk from India,
The SELF Class of 2014