India’s middle class sees gains wiped out or hang by a thread

Pandemic economic disruptions have crushed the dreams of millions of Indians.

New Delhi, India – Last January, Aarti Prakash expanded her decade-old catering business by renting a kitchen in Chhatarpur, a commercial neighborhood in India’s capital New Delhi. The 41-year-old mother of two used nearly all of her savings – 400,000 rupees ($5,372). She was excited to take her business to the next level. She specialised in Italian cuisine, perfecting it at home by learning to make fresh mozzarella and pasta, which was a hit with her clients. Catering orders for parties and functions had been placed months in advance. But just two months later, India went into an abrupt nationwide lockdown as the threat of COVID-19 loomed around the world. As India was engulfed in its first COVID-19 wave, Prakash watched her business evaporate overnight. Orders were cancelled, she was forced to throw out her entire food stock, and she could no longer afford to rent the kitchen.