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The Zippies Are Here

54 percent of Indians are now below 25 years of age. Young city or suburban residents between 15 and 25 years of age, with a zip in their stride. That's zippies for you. What do they think? What do they talk about? What do they want? What should they do?

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Every third statistic is said to wink at the truth. But in October this year, along came a number that socked us in the eye: that we are now among the youngest nations on the globe. 54 per cent of India's population, said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, is now under 25 years of age.

The demographic bulge that has created these staggering numbers can cause a "revolution of expectations". It could transform us as a nation if we tap the implicit potential. It could trip us if we don't! What do the numbers mean? Where are the zippies? What are they thinking and talking about? What do they want? And what should they do?

zip*pie n . informal (pl. zippies) (zippie*dom n.) A young city or suburban resident, between 15 and 25 years of age, with a zip in the stride. Belongs to Generation Z. Can be male or female, studying or working. Oozes attitude, ambition and aspiration. Cool, confident and creative. Seeks challenges, loves risks and shuns fear. Succeeds Generation X and Generation Y, but carries the social, political, economic, cultural or ideological baggage of neither. Personal and professional life marked by vim, vigour and vitality (origin: Indian)

APJ Abdul Kalam : '500 Million Young Will Transform India'
Azim Premji: Writing Is On The Wall: Get The A,B,C Right
Paromita Shastri : Tender Shoots
Suveen K. Sinha : Age Of The Zippie
Anil Thakraney: Moving To Gorakhpur With All Guns Blazing
Manu Joseph: The Generation Why
Velu Shankar: Teflon-Coated Bubble Wrap Cocoons
Ajith Pillai: Dumbed Down? Who?
Sanghamitra Chakraborty: The Next Stage Of Human Evolution
Indrajit Hazra: 'Potential Genius'? Keep The Tag Intact
Anil Ambani: "If You Dream, You Can Do It"
Saumya Roy: Twixt Chawl And Mall
Sanjoy Chatterjee: The World Is My Oyster
Zippies: What They Want
Javed and Farhan Akhtar: 'We All Have Our Struggles'
Sadanand Menon: Mad Cow Disease Of Self-Consumption

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Mar 28, 2004 12:00 AM 6	Origin of the Zippies I am one of the 14 zippies who were part of a tour to the US organised by Fraser Clark and Wired Magazine as part of a media stunt "Here come the Zippies." As you may already be aware this happened in 1994. In fact Clark was using this idea during the eighties as a reaction against the over-materialistic money-orientated yuppy. While Clark will probably tell you that Zippy means a techno-hippy or a hippy with zip, I like to think of it as yuppy with spirituality. I don't have any problem with people making money, as long as its not at the expense of future generations. Please be aware that a lot of unscrupulous Americans would love to exploit young Indians in the name of progress and development. In fact, if it weren't for this story making news today, I would probably live out my days wondering why I got ripped off by US promoter John Bagby who has a web-site dedicated to Zippy and Pronoia. David Robert Lewis dave cape town, south africa
Jan 27, 2004 12:00 AM 5	This is in reference to your cover story in the Jan 12 issue.I have a very simple request...when undertaking such surveys,please make it a point to cover different samples in the population/universe of your survey.It is a wonder that you have spent time on hare-brained hair stylists but have not bothered to go to various campuses or the student infested areas near these campuses especially in Delhi. Please do remember ,that intentionally or otherwise you hold the stage and there are a lot of "impressionable" suckers like Zaid A.Samad who will take things at face value. Smugness is fine and is very personal..but at what cost? Sitting near the backwaters and passing judgements on issues without knowing the real scene is but very easy.Plus you will always have half-baked reports which will always shoot up the reading in your smug-o-meter.Mr. Zaid Samad,u need only one day of attending the various declamation contests and various events that happen in Delhi University to shake off your misconception.I can only speak for D.U. since I belong from here. As for that hair -stylist that you interviewed ,seemed more like the case of"Beauty is skin-deep and that is deep enough".come to think of it..why not?!That is a different story... nisha nair delhi, india
Jan 11, 2004 12:00 AM 4	It's heartening as well as frightening to know that India has one of the largest young population. Heartening because the actual working force is high and frightening because of the future to which we are heading. After twenty years even our demographic graph will shift towards the aging population and the trend of DINK couples (Double Income No Kids),I wonder who would take care of the aging population and probably the aging economy? So would it be India's turn next after the western economies to struggle with an aged demograph? Rajat Agrawal Delhi, India
Jan 01, 2004 12:00 AM 3	Brilliant! The national magazine Outlook finds no worthy zippie from the southern part of India! Keep it up, and thank you very much for the attention you are giving for my part [of course less privileged] of the country.Good luck for your service to national integration. Gowrishankar E S London, UK
Dec 29, 2003 12:00 AM 2	It is wonderful that there is an abundance of zippies in our country. However, it is crucial that there should be a sufficient number of elders who can set a good example and provide a directon. If that happens, the zippies will make our nation go places MILIND MUMBAI, INDIA
Dec 28, 2003 12:00 AM 1	54% of Indians are below the age of 25 says our Prime Minister. But did he even bother to tell another gruesome statistic, that majority of our politicians, (including the PM) are over the age of 60, which is the age for a normal person to retire from a job. Isn't it strange that we still have hope for our youth, when the older generation is so selfish and unwilling to relinquish their own benefits? Prateek Kaul Pune, India

Dec 28, 2003 12:00 AM 1	54% of Indians are below the age of 25 says our Prime Minister. But did he even bother to tell another gruesome statistic, that majority of our politicians, (including the PM) are over the age of 60, which is the age for a normal person to retire from a job. Isn't it strange that we still have hope for our youth, when the older generation is so selfish and unwilling to relinquish their own benefits? Prateek Kaul Pune, India
Dec 29, 2003 12:00 AM 2	It is wonderful that there is an abundance of zippies in our country. However, it is crucial that there should be a sufficient number of elders who can set a good example and provide a directon. If that happens, the zippies will make our nation go places MILIND MUMBAI, INDIA
Jan 01, 2004 12:00 AM 3	Brilliant! The national magazine Outlook finds no worthy zippie from the southern part of India! Keep it up, and thank you very much for the attention you are giving for my part [of course less privileged] of the country.Good luck for your service to national integration. Gowrishankar E S London, UK
Jan 11, 2004 12:00 AM 4	It's heartening as well as frightening to know that India has one of the largest young population. Heartening because the actual working force is high and frightening because of the future to which we are heading. After twenty years even our demographic graph will shift towards the aging population and the trend of DINK couples (Double Income No Kids),I wonder who would take care of the aging population and probably the aging economy? So would it be India's turn next after the western economies to struggle with an aged demograph? Rajat Agrawal Delhi, India
Jan 27, 2004 12:00 AM 5	This is in reference to your cover story in the Jan 12 issue.I have a very simple request...when undertaking such surveys,please make it a point to cover different samples in the population/universe of your survey.It is a wonder that you have spent time on hare-brained hair stylists but have not bothered to go to various campuses or the student infested areas near these campuses especially in Delhi. Please do remember ,that intentionally or otherwise you hold the stage and there are a lot of "impressionable" suckers like Zaid A.Samad who will take things at face value. Smugness is fine and is very personal..but at what cost? Sitting near the backwaters and passing judgements on issues without knowing the real scene is but very easy.Plus you will always have half-baked reports which will always shoot up the reading in your smug-o-meter.Mr. Zaid Samad,u need only one day of attending the various declamation contests and various events that happen in Delhi University to shake off your misconception.I can only speak for D.U. since I belong from here. As for that hair -stylist that you interviewed ,seemed more like the case of"Beauty is skin-deep and that is deep enough".come to think of it..why not?!That is a different story... nisha nair delhi, india
Mar 28, 2004 12:00 AM 6	Origin of the Zippies I am one of the 14 zippies who were part of a tour to the US organised by Fraser Clark and Wired Magazine as part of a media stunt "Here come the Zippies." As you may already be aware this happened in 1994. In fact Clark was using this idea during the eighties as a reaction against the over-materialistic money-orientated yuppy. While Clark will probably tell you that Zippy means a techno-hippy or a hippy with zip, I like to think of it as yuppy with spirituality. I don't have any problem with people making money, as long as its not at the expense of future generations. Please be aware that a lot of unscrupulous Americans would love to exploit young Indians in the name of progress and development. In fact, if it weren't for this story making news today, I would probably live out my days wondering why I got ripped off by US promoter John Bagby who has a web-site dedicated to Zippy and Pronoia. David Robert Lewis dave cape town, south africa

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