Lipstick and jeans – shows the disconnect between the politicians and the English / electronic media which claims to be representative of India. These media channels have so much influence because they have the money, but if you are a lady and travel in Rajasthan and UP alone on work , “Lipstick and jeans” will land you in a lot of trouble. As an engineer, I found that the simpler you are, the easier it is to get work done and people will go out of their way to help you.

In many companies in Mumbai and other metros, makeup and Western clothes may define the competence of a female employee and her progress up the corporate ladder, but this is not true every where. Real power lies with our politicians and businesspeople and there are very few “lipstick and jeans ladies ” in that group.

The chief minister of one of India’s  poorest states has won elections without knowing the local language and comes from an affluent background.  Most people appreciate sincerity, not  the  right accent and looks which are so important in the English media today.  But are the “lipstick and jeans ladies ” willing to sacrifice their luxury branded goods and exotic foreign holidays to make a real difference?