Rise of the Rubans to drive the engine of economic growth

There is an emerging new breed of rural youth rich in untapped talent bubbling with entrepreneurial spirit and having access to latest technological gadgets. They now go by the name 'Rubans' a truncation for Rural-Urbans. 

This is the initiative of SDM IMD Institution and Head Held High (HHH), a Bangalore-based social enterprise, to address the need of rural populace with access to urban levels of information and help them integrate with the main society, thereby creating an inclusive growth environment in the society.

HHH conducts survey 'Rubanomics' to study the changing rural dynamics of economies governing and build business models that target the new Rural-Urbans. 

Whereas, the Institution creates platform for the academia to engage with rural talent, entrepreneurs, consumers and communities through summer projects, case studies and publishing of research papers alongside holding workshops. It also give direction to mesh rural and urban opportunities by engaging the power of talent and technology. The academia plan to make Rubanomics mainstream not only in academic circles but also in the corporate world.

SDM IMD Director Dr Parasuraman said: “Rubanomics is a new venture of Institution, committed to rural development, social exposure and ethics as part of the curriculum for management students. Our focus is on exposing and sensitising our budding managers to social reality. This initiative will help them engage with the new Rubans to create an inclusive growth environment for our country.”

Elaborating on the role of Rubanomics in the new rural India, HHH Chairman Madan Padaki said that Rubanomics will unleash the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of the Rubans. Rubanomics will strengthen this revolution, creating opportunity platforms for talent, entrepreneurs, consumers and communities in rural India, thereby adding to the economic prosperity of the nations.”

The Institute brought out a special publication on 'Rubanomics' that is 'RubanEye', containing learned articles, papers and summarised summer project reports on the highly relevant subject of Rural and Social economics.

Training programme

A six month residential training programme was provided under the programme for about 800 Rubans. Now they have transformed themselves from low literate to English speaking, computer literate knowledge workers in record time. About 90 percent of them have get appointment in service companies in and around Mysore.