Jyotishree Bindra eats pizzas and phuchkas with equal relish. After a hard day’s work, the 28-year-old Calcutta-based boutique owner likes to watch Hindi films for they beam her into a world of fantasy. Bindra is with it ? a typical member of Generation Next. And she declares that she’s proud to be an Indian. “Indians as a race are emotional and helpful. I try to help people as much as possible,” she says.

So you thought that the young Indian ? the under-30 middle-class urbanite ? is western, disconnected, brand obsessed and insular, right? Wrong. The young Indian is socially active, doesn’t care if he or she has a Haldiram or a Mcdonald’s meal, is equally comfortable in an Armani or a Fab-India outfit, and loves Hindi films as much as Hollywood movies. And surprise, surprise: the young Indian cares.

A survey underlines the fact that Generation X has a heart that beats for India. At a recent convention in Mumbai organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the New Delhi-based retail consultancy firm Technopak Advisors made a presentation on the changing identity of the young Indian. It argued that today’s youth is less engaged with issues relating to caste and community. And a survey carried out by pollsters MODE for The Telegraph in Mumbai and Bangalore says that about 83 per cent of the youth polled believe that their outlook is more Indian than global. And 100 per cent say that they are proud to be Indian.

What’s interesting is that the young may have an Indian outlook, but are also open to western influences ? and manage to blend Indian and western identities with ease. “They are equally happy watching Harry Potter and Hanuman,” says Arvind Singhal, chairman, Technopak Advisors.

Based on the findings of its earlier surveys on luxury brands and its annual consumer outlook survey, the Technopak paper says that the young take pride in India, and among their popular role models are Mukesh Ambani and N.R. Narayana Murthy. The MODE survey says that Sachin Tendulkar is the majority’s first choice when it comes to role models, while Sania Mirza and Amitabh Bachchan are the second-most popular choices.

The young Indian likes to eat most in Indian restaurants and then prefers Chinese and Thai food. He or she is not brand conscious as much as is aware of what he or she wants. Bangalore-based software engineer Ramesh Rao, for instance, is not picky about the brands he buys ? they could be Indian or foreign as, he says, “the difference between the two is thinning.” Ditto with films, says the 27-year-old who has just seen Saif Ali Khan’s Being Cyrus and V For Vendetta. “A film has to be good, Hollywood or Bollywood is a non-issue,” he says.

They love their mobile phones. As the German mobile marketing guru Russel Buckley once said, “Without their mobile they’d be no more capable of dating and maintaining a relationship... than a Boeing 777 is of crossing the Atlantic without any engines.” They can’t do without the Internet and are much into gaming. Multiplayer online role player games (MORGs) are becoming so popular that “these have reached a stage where people have set up online virtual worlds,” says Ashutosh Srivastava, the South Asia CEO of WPP’s media arm, Group M.

As a result of the interest in technology, there’s a rise in what experts refer to as networked societies. “This is the most socially networked generation,” observes Srivastava. Earlier, the social circles were limited by physical proximity. Today armed with mobiles, instant messengers, online social network and blogging, this generation is part of a much wider social group where time and space are no barriers.

But before delving deeper into what makes the young tick, take a look at why youth is at the centre of attention in India currently. Sample some numbers: about 65 per cent (over 700 million) Indians are below 35 years of age and about 50 per cent (over 550 million) below 25 years. With a median age of 31 years, by 2025 India will be among the youngest countries in the world in comparison with the US, Britain, China and Russia. “The oldest civilisation in the world will be among the youngest in this century,” observes Singhal.

He believes that approximately nine million people in the age groups of 12 to 25 years in the top 35 cities of India will set the trends and stoke the aspirations of millions of others. Needless to say, observing and recording their behaviour and attitudes is critical. As Srivastava views it, Generation Next is being seen as a major opportunity. “Given the current demographics of the Indian population, we are, over the next decade, looking at the most lucrative and influential youth market in Indian history.” His figures show that nearly eight per cent Indians will turn 21 this year and 2006 is slated to witness the largest number of marriages ever in the country.

Nor will these attitudes be confined to urban India. Technopak’s Singhal says aspirations and lifestyles will converge and the change will not be limited to the metros. For instance, Coffee Cafe Day outlets are to be found in 61 Indian cities. A large number of small towns have beauty salons and gyms and a large number of contestants for Miss India come from small towns.

A scenario where half the population is under 24 years of age and enjoys increasing levels of disposable income is a marketer’s delight. The Technopak paper points out that people are definitely beginning to earn early. While the financial freedom made possible by the booming business process outsourcing (BPO) economy is old news, there are new job opportunities and avenues in the media industry ? print, broadcast ? and in the entertainment industry, beauty industry and adventure tourism.

The paper also pointed out that the young men and women are more entrepreneurial in nature. In fact, they try to blend their interests with their occupation. For instance, Calcutta-based Gaurab Chatterjee ? a member of the band Lakkhichhara ? chose music as a career because his passion is music. And while Sujay Dutta, 28, may be working with Wipro today, his dream is to become a full time musician. “I’m into rock and roll and Angus Young is my role model. I find his energy inspiring,” says Dutta. Then there is Sucharita Chatterjee, 23, from Calcutta’s Gokhale College, who is pursuing psychology only because she wants to become a counsellor. Singhal says that the recent incidence of Indian Institute of Management graduates refusing high-paying jobs to pursue their own dreams is a good example of the changing ways of the Indian youth.

Clearly, the new, globalised India is one of the reasons the young are proud of their nationality. “I am proud to be an Indian because I have seen first-hand the recognition that the booming software industry has won for India,” says software engineer Ramesh Rao. “When I travel to the US, nobody asks those where-India, what-India questions any more. People recognise India as a place to find technical talent,” he says.

And how do they show their sense of Indianness? Only six per cent, says MODE, do it through clothes. An overwhelming 56 per cent believe that their sense of patriotism is best seen in their traditional values. “I am proud to be an Indian because we are an ancient civilisation with a rich culture and heritage ? whether in music, art or whatever. But I don’t wear my patriotism on my sleeve,” asserts Gaurab Chatterjee.

Not surprisingly, caste, religion and community ? issues that the earlier generations were preoccupied with ? hardly matter to the young. As Ramesh Rao puts it, he doesn’t make friends on the basis of caste. “Living in cosmopolitan cities like Bangalore makes caste a non-issue. I don’t intend to marry someone strictly of my own caste. I am not interested in knowing a person’s caste when I meet him for the first time. So caste has no importance to me,” he says. Adds Bindra, “Caste has been reduced to just last names. And if I were to only interact with my community, I wouldn’t grow as a person.”

The survey says as much. Only 38 per cent said yes when asked if they still believed in caste, religion and community. The remaining 62 per cent said they were open to the issue.

“The reason is straight-forward,” says Singhal. “Their first priority is themselves. It is a positive development. Their identities are not determined by caste or community. They would rather gang up on the basis of common interest ? say music or adventure sports or whatever else ? rather than bonding on the basis of caste, community or religion,” he says.

Not everybody agrees, though. Sociologist Patricia Uberoi, at the Institute of Economic Growth in Delhi, believes that while in the metros, day-to-day expression of caste may not be important, it continues to gain ground in the political system. She feels that sophisticated lifestyles in the metros also do not mean that there is an increased secularism.

The presentations, however, spoke about the increasing social conscience of the young ? an issue also highlighted by MODE. Social issues bothered 68 per cent of those surveyed. The Technopak paper says the young are concerned about women’s issues, the environment and human rights. Adds Bindra, “There is still a lot of chauvinism, whether within the family or in society. Also, women still feel unsafe in many places. Why should that be?”

Like Jyotishree Bindra, the youth in India cares. They called them Generation Me once. It’s time for a rechristening. You could well call them Generation Us.

(MODE polled 100 people in Mumbai and Bangalore in the age group of 22-30)