E26: Rama Bijapurkar - Foremost Expert On Consumer India

“Yeah, I think there's a little bit of a tyranny of "Or" that is implicit in your question, Numbers OR anecdotes, you know? As you say, in Indian spirituality, if you examine a problem deeply enough, the contradiction should vanish. So I'm often asking people that what is the story that the numbers are telling you that you're finding resonating in your anecdotes?”

Welcome to the Story Rules podcast with me, Ravishankar Iyer, where we learn from some of the best storytellers in the world, find their story and unearth the secrets of their craft.

Today we speak with Rama Bijapurkar, a leading market strategy consultant, best-selling author, teacher, and leader on several company boards.

For decades, Rama has been a keen observer and insightful commentator on the Indian consumer market. She's written several books, including her latest, ‘Lilliput Land: How Small Is Driving India's Mega Consumption Story’.

Rama's career path is fascinating. With a background in physics, she transitioned to market research and consulting, and became a highly sought-after expert on consumer behaviour and business strategy in India. Any MNC entering the Indian consumer market would have either read Rama’s books or gotten her advice on how to approach this unique and challenging space.

In this conversation, we explore Rama's fascinating perspective on the Indian consumer, her storytelling approach, and the insights she's gleaned from her research and experience.

We discuss the power of anecdotes, the importance of credibility, and the importance of analogies in storytelling.

Rama's ability to connect the dots between data, anecdotes, and real-world observations is fascinating.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone keen on understanding the Indian consumer, changing market dynamics and the power of storytelling in business.

Let's dive in.

Show Notes
Lilliput Land on Amazon
Rama Bijapurkar’s personal website and handle on X