Doctor, engineer, banker, chartered accountant… there was a time when Indian parents had a list ready of the careers their kids should choose. But times have been changing. Today, somewhere in Delhi, a young professional’s job description can read: “Will carry your shopping bags while you browse kurtas, or assist you at the airport.”
Employment today has transcended and transformed into categories which would have been unimaginable before. Here are some innovative revenue streams today in the market:
1. Personal assistance
Take Lajpat Nagar in Delhi, where a startup called CarryMen turned shopping fatigue into business. For as little as ₹149 an hour, people can hire assistants to carry bags, stand in queues, and navigate their way. Now, they even include senior citizen outings, doctor visit companionship, airport assistance, and more.
2. Closet organisers
Then there is the rise of the closet organiser. Once, wardrobes were simply cupboards where clothes were stashed and disappeared. Today, people hire specialists to colour-code and create Instagram-worthy wardrobe ecosystems. Organise with Kopal, by lawyer Kopal Dhir, has a team of four who help people create organised spaces within their homes across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and other cities across India.
3. Homemakers train AI
If closet organisation sounds like a futuristic profession, wait till you hear about homemakers being paid to do what they treat as normal. An AI data company has begun to pay homemakers ₹250 for one hour of video, them simply recording how they go about their daily chores such as cooking and cleaning. The footage is then used to train AI systems and humanoid robots to perform those same tasks. The irony is delicious. For decades, homemakers were told they “don’t work.” Now their daily routines have become valuable training material for machines.
4. Wedding content creators
A profession that barely existed a few years ago is now becoming a fixture at high-end weddings: the wedding content creator. Unlike traditional photographers, these professionals shoot smartphone first photos, reels and behind-the-scenes videos tailored for Instagram, and deliver the content within hours. Shaadi BTS is one of the known ones.
The broader shift is hard to miss. Traditional careers are no longer the sole markers of success. What do you think?
