A Tale of Two Middle Classes

How has the transformation of the Indian economy over the 21st century shaped the lives of ordinary Indians? This talk traces the evolution of India’s middle classes through data from the India Human Development Survey, a study that repeatedly interviewed more than 40,000 households between 2004 and 2024. Grounded in these lived experiences, the talk examines the size and origins of both the upper and lower middle classes, exploring their lifestyles and aspirations as they navigate a changing, and at times uncertain, economy. This lecture is a part of Azim Premji University’s Public…