Today, people live in a world of technological advances, interactive human relations, international flow of human and material capital and investments, and intensive need for labour to sustain the industrialization process. Communication and information sharing is a click on the mouse and a matter of Internet connection. Globalization does not spare anyone. It penetrates the lives of everyone - adults, children and young people alike, and poses both advantages and risks to them.²

1.1 Indian Culture:

Indian culture is rich and diverse and as a result unique in its very own way. Our manners, way of communicating with one another, etc are one of the important components of our culture. Even though we have accepted modern means of living, improved our lifestyle, our values and beliefs still remain unchanged. A person can change his way of clothing, way of eating and living but the rich values in a person always remains unchanged because they are deeply rooted within our hearts, mind, body and soul which we receive from our culture.

1.2 Indian Youth:

The youth has achieved supplementary magnitude today because of the rate at which the population of youth increases. India is in an advantageous position as a greater proportion of the population is or will be entering their productive age. This is called as ‘youth bulge’. Such a situation of ‘youth bulge’ helps the country by providing abundant supply of workforce and increasing the per capita output. As the population of children and elderly becomes small in such case, the country needs to spend less on the dependent population assuring higher economic growth. According to figures, youth form 18% of the world population. But in case of India, 65% of the population is youth. So India stands to gain from the ‘youth bulge’. The working population of India is expected to grow by more than 47 million by 2020. This gives us a great opportunity, but the opportunity can be capitalized if the powers of youth harnessed properly. The youth can contribute to India’s success and progress only if they are equipped with skills and knowledge. Youth without relevant skills and knowledge can actually derail the economy and create more trouble for the country. The youth are also expected to grow mentally to be competent enough to play an important role in the nation building. Their dedication, hard work, innovativeness and quest of knowledge will not only help them to lead a satisfied life but will also be their contribution towards making India a superpower as dreamed by one of the role model of the Indian youth, former president, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.³

1.3 Cultural Flow:

The present day India is facing identity crisis as the modern youth under the influence of globalization has drifted away from familial ties. They have no respect to elders and joint family system. They wish for independence, privacy and space. As a result the traditional joint family has given way to the nuclear family. Youth is very much influenced by foreign movies, channels, fashion, celebrities, liberty and open-ness which lead to a platform where they don’t want to be disturbed by their own parents. This is spread of culture has not only changed their views, ideals, idols but influenced their clothing choices too.⁴

1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PAPER:

The present paper was planned with the following aims and objectives:

1. To identify the word globalization.

2. To find out the positive and negative impact of globalization.

3. To find out the effect of global village on youth icons.

4. To recognize the influence of globalization on clothing and jewelry choices of youth.

5. To make out the blow of globalised world on youth’s accessory choices in terms of branded and non-branded inclination.

2. LIMITATIONS OF THE PAPER:

The present paper has following limitations:

1. The paper was conducted in Chandigarh only.

2. The sample size was limited to fifty college going girls only.

3. MATERIALS AND METHOD:

For the present paper, the sample consisted of fifty college going girls from Chandigarh were selected. Chandigarh was divided into five zones– north, south, east, west and centre. From each stratum ten girls were taken. Stratified Randomized sampling technique was used to select the fifty college going girls as sample. Survey method along with interview schedule was considered to be most suitable. At the end, raw data was analyzed and for clear understanding graphical representation was used to present the results.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

4.1 Concept of Globalization:

Globalization refers to the increasing unification of the world's economic order through reduction of such barriers to international trade as tariffs, export fees, and import quotas. The goal is to increase material wealth, goods, and services through an international division of labor by efficiencies catalyzed by international relations, specialization and competition. It describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through communication, transportation, and trade. Globalization effects in terms of industrial, financial, economic, political, informational, language ecological, technical, religious and cultural. Globalization has influenced the use of language across the world. For example, Japanese noodles, Swedish meatballs, Indian curry and French cheese have become popular outside their countries of origin. Two American companies, McDonalds and Starbucks are often cited as examples of globalization, with over 31,000 and 18,000 locations operating worldwide, respectively. ⁵

4.1 (a) Historical Development:

Globalization has been a historical process with ebbs and flows. Globalization is not new. Historically, people have left their surroundings and traveled to distant lands for four main reasons: conquest (the desire to control other countries); prosperity (the search for a better life); exploration (the desire to discover new lands); and trade (the desire to sell goods profitably). The primary agents of globalization in the past were soldiers, sailors, traders and explorers. For thousands of years, traders carried their goods across oceans and continents and armies launched invasions on their rulers’ orders. Powerful nations have brought new lands under their authority, integrating disparate nations, peoples and cultures into empires. Earlier forms of globalization existed in the Egyptian, Medo-Persian, Babylonian, and Greek and Roman empires. During the time of the Mongol empire in the middle Ages, the famed “Silk Road” connected Central Asia and Europe, linking several civilizations. The first steps toward globalizing as we know it today were taken in the 16th and 17th centuries when the Portuguese and Spanish empires spread into Africa, the Americas and Asia seeking gold, silver and spices. The Dutch, French and British empires soon followed, with the Dutch East India Company becoming the world’s first multinational privately-held company, in which ownership was divided into shares. This first wave of globalization was characterized by rapid growth in trade and investment between the European powers and their colonies, including the American colonies. The first era of globalization began to break down with the advent of the First World War, and later collapsed between the two world wars, in part due to the raising of tariffs and increased immigration restrictions. Globalization is not new, though. For thousands of years, people—and, later, corporations—have been buying from and selling to each other in lands at great distances, such as through the famed Silk Road across Central Asia that connected China and Europe during the Middle Ages. Likewise, for centuries, people and corporations have invested in enterprises in other countries. In fact, many of the features of the current wave of globalization are similar to those prevailing before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.⁶

4.1 (b) Trends in Globalization:

Globalization is the process by which nations become increasingly integrated. This is occurring primarily due to advances in technology that have enabled people, goods, money, data and ideas to travel the world much faster than before; and the reduction of trade and economic barriers, which has greatly increased trade between countries. In recent years, globalization has become a hot topic, one that has been associated with trends such as the following:

· The rise and expansion of multinational corporations with business interests and employees in several countries, including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Toyota, Sony, IBM, Unilever, Nike and Shell.

· The emergence of global financial markets in centers such as New York, London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong, providing businesses around the world with easier access to financing.

· Greater levels of immigration, changing the ethnic, cultural and religious composition of several countries and leading to the establishment of multicultural societies.

· The erosion of trade barriers between groups of nations, leading to the emergence of powerful trading blocs, with names such as NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), the European Union and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).⁷

4.1 (c) Globalization in India:

The wake of globalization was first felt in the 1990s in India when the then finance minister, Dr Manmohan Singh initiated the economic liberalization plan. Since then, India has gradually become one of the economic giants in the world. Today, it has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world with an average growth rate of around 6-7 %. There has also been a significant rise in the per capita income and the standard of living. Poverty has also reduced by around 10 %. The service industry has a share of around 54% of the annual Gross Domestic Product while the industrial and agricultural sectors share around 29% and 17% respectively. Due to the process of globalization, the exports have also improved significantly.

Globalization has really out a positive impact on today's economy and it is expected to develop in the years to come. The young generation comprises the future world public servants Thus, it is crucial that they are prepared for the responsibility. They should be provided with all the possible opportunities and resources that they would need in order to acquire skills, knowledge and confidence in facing the future. They should be in school, not in the workplace. Also, the government should provide them with the best support and services to ensure their normal development. India’s population surpassed the one billion mark in March 2000 and its cities are some of the most populated in the world. It is estimated that sixty percent of the world’s population will live in Asia by 2030, with China and India as the most heavily populated nations. Depending on how one defines the age of youth, the majority of India’s population is young. If one counts those under the age of 30, young people make up between 50 to 60 percent of the population. Some 47% of India's current 1 billion populations are under the age of 20, and teenagers among them number about 160 million. This fact alone ensures that India’s population will continue to grow in the future. By 2015, it is projected that Indians under 20 will make up 55% of the population. The population growth among youth is one of the most critical economic factors in the way India responds to globalization. Indian youth are fueling both positive and negative perceptions given to globalization in a way that previous generation never imagined.^2,8

4.2 POSITIVE and NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF GLOBALISATION:

Experts says globalization is like two edged sword which at one level gives u immense protection and positivity on the same platform chances are that it could hurt you as well as. Efforts have been made to sieve the global village package and few positive and negative aspects have been jotted down which are as follows:

Positives Aspects:

· Able to improve living standards and reduce poverty.

· Increased life expectancy.

· Increased global income and reduced investment

· Improved environmental awareness and positive environmental outcomes

· Enabled international political and economic tensions to be resolved

· Improved technology has dramatically reduced costs and prices

· Respect for cultural identities

· Increased Competition

· Employment and Foreign Trade

· Spread of Education

Negative Aspects:

· Facilitated the spread of human, animal and plant diseases,

· More vulnerable to economic problems

· Corrupt behavior exploit inadequate environmental codes

· Destroying traditional agricultural communities

· Increased the demand for migration

· Erosion of Indigenous and national culture and languages

· Developed nations have outsourced manufacturing and white collar jobs.

· Exploitation of labor.

· Job insecurity.

· Terrorism

· Consumption of junk food effecting health

· Enemy nations can spread propaganda through the Internet.

· Local industries are being taken over by foreign multinationals.

· There is increase in human trafficking

· Identity crisis for culture⁵

4.3 INDIAN YOUTH CLOTHING CHOICES:

As a nonverbal form of communication, clothing reveals much about its wearers. In addition to exposing attitudes, values, beliefs, and other personal traits, individuals can utilize clothing to disseminate deliberate, symbolic messages. Different youth cultures are very much identified by what they wear and how they dress, as a precursor to what music they like and where they like to hang out; these varied sub-cultures obviously tend to favour very different clothes designers, and some designers are synonymously associated with a particular group.⁹ Hairstyles, clothing choices, speech patterns, leisure choices, music preferences, there is head and tail for a coin there is both positive and negative impact of western culture and Indian Culture. Dressing, eating habit, living style is very irrelevant being given the definition of culture. The effect of Western culture in Indian youth can be seen in most of the actives as dressing-With booze, fags and skimpily dressed girls who move their bodies to be the cynosure and to attract males. Everyone is wearing branded clothes, imported watches, designer accessories and what not. There is nothing wrong in adopting good things but you should not forget your nativity and imitate them.^10,11 The author saunters to fifty college going girls to collect their choices regarding clothes, accessories, jewelry etc. Then the responses were tabulated and percentage was calculated. These are as follow:

4.4(a) YOUTH ICON:

Figure 1: Youth choice regarding their Icon

Figure 1 give a clear picture of icons of our Indian youth .Celebrities (92%) especially people from west like Jeniffer Lopez,Rihanna,Taylor Swift etc they also quoted few of desi celebrities like Katrina ,Kareena, Deepika etc influences the fashion trends of youth whereas sports person grabbed 8% eyes to be their icons like Sania Mirza.

4.4 (b) CLOTHING AND JEWELRY CHOICES:

Figure 2: Youth choices regarding Clothes

Figure 2 depicts the youth choices regarding clothes which are very much influenced by global village. Jeans bagged the first position by getting 63 % votes, which speaks out the youth preference and liking towards western world. Western dresses like skirts, tubular dresses etc managed to grab the eye balls of youth with 35 % whereas suits were liked by 2% girls only. It perceptible that these choices have been an output of influenced likings and choices by blended culture of shriveled globe.

Figure 3: Youth choice regarding Jewelry

Figure 3 illustrates youth choices regarding jewelry. According to college going girls, they prefer jewelry all in junky and funky style as they follow their fashion icons. Bracelets, earrings, anklets and nose pin were the popular jewelry items. Every jewelry piece was worn due to influence behvaiour. Bracelets (95%) were chosen over bangles as respondents found it trendier and worn by their favourite celebrities as compare to bangles (10%). Sania Mirza’s nose pin was the reason behind the likeness of this jewelry piece by respondents as they found it in vogue and stylish. Anklets (87%) at one ankle only, not the regular silver one but the trendy worn by celebrities’ .Rings (45%) with funky colours and of huge size were chosen by 43% respondents.

4.5 (c) ACCESSORIES:

Figure 4: Youth choices regarding Accessories

Figure 4 describing accessories choices with respondent’s inclination towards branded items over non-branded products. Foot wears (92%), shades (88%) and watches (79%) were the items which are preferred by respondents in brands like Puma, Prada, Gucci, Espirit and Fastrack. Bags (55%) and belts (52%) were having a balancing scenario for branded and non- branded proclivity by respondents. Scarves (18%) were tagged at the lowest position in the race of brands penchant by young respondents.

Figure 5: Choice regarding Tattoos

The very well known fashion mode adapted by all young people –be it Hrithik Roshan or Deepika Padukone from Indian cinema to Jessica Alba or Scarlet Johannson from western cinema. Figure 5 portraying the real youth choices, views regarding tattoo application. A huge lot i.e. 74% of respondents were having tattoos and their families were not even aware of it. Surprisingly from the rest of 26% more than half girls were willing to have one in the near future.

5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

Perceptible inclination pushes the mind of today‘s youth which could be seen in the choices made by them like jeans and western dresses over suits, bracelets over bangles. Celebrities who endorses fashion world are icons, role models for the present day’s young blood. The Youngistan of India who worship global celebrities as well as desi celebrities and sports person for their clothes, accessories, tattoos, stylish trends prefer brands and designer stuff for their casual to party look. Generation Y don’t want to feel neglected or less fashionable in the outer world. In this world of globalization a variety of factors of our life has been commercialized; from industries, to culture nothing remains unscathed from globalization. We should feel proud that we are Indians and we have such a rich cultural heritage which is very rare and should carry this forward and inherit the same to our new blooms that are going to be our future. We should make efforts immaculately as to revive our own culture our own traditional values with the package of traditional costumes in it. Today India is doing wonderfully well at global front when saree is being applauded and acknowledged all-over world, it’s very saddening that we as Indians are shrugging this beautiful attire of our very own land. Youth should be dealt with care and affection. Endeavours should be making in this regard as to update the youth to accept Indian values, culture and clothes over western ones not for surface attention but at inner level.

6. ANALYSIS:

Pubs, bars, discotheques are some of the key sources which give fun and entertainment to our so called gen next. Society seems to be divided into three sections: conventional people that repel any sort of modernization, contemporary second lot which accepts every kind of modernization and the last part brings out and carries off modernization on its shoulders and pushes the former two lots.¹² Today’s gen Y needs their space in terms of freedom liberty, choices and preferences. While going on this freedom trip often youth fell into the well of identity crisis which generally speaks about stress of

· Personal, social and psychological problems

· Vocational and educational problems

· Moral and religious problems

· Adjustment in academia

· Home and family crisis

· Financial problems

These problems believably are being threadbare –nevertheless it seems that the intricacy of the each dilemma is escalating with every novel key antidote.

7. SUGGESTIONS:

· Eradicating the root-cause i.e. attitude

· Inculcating the sense of country love

· Nurturing the sense of belonging-ness

· Encouraging the sense of brotherhood

· Endorsing traditional values

· Highlighting the importance of Indian Clothing

· Emphasis on Indian culture

8. REFERENCES:

1. http://www.famouswhy.com/quotes/globalization-has-changed-us-into-a-company-that-searches-the-world-not-just-to-_q122328.html

2. Gokulsing and Dissanayake(2009),Popular Culture in a Globalised India, Taylor and Francis group, New York

3. http://thenewdimension.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/the-power-of-indian-youth/

4. http://khirbhawani.sulekha.com/blog/post/2005/11/impact-of-weternization-on-indian-culture.htm

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalization#Cultural_effects

6. Rangarajan (2006), Responding to globalization: India’s Answer 4^th Ramanbhai Patel Memorial Excellence in Education, Chairman Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister New Delhi

7. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_did_western_culture_influence_in_India#ixzz1Cmewxvpz

8. http://indiaculture.net/talk/messages/10141/20944.html?1281612742

9. http://www.archive.org/details/Insight_080513

10. Buchholz and et.al (2009),Culturally Crafted Attitudes Toward Clothing Choices- A Research Report for English 324 Research and Recordings (pdf)

11. http://ezinearticles.com/?Designer-Clothing-and-Youth-Cultureandid=5324252

12. http://www.articlesbase.com/fashion-articles/the-emulation-of-indian-fashion-and-the-west-1804825.html#ixzz1CmguXpA6

Received on 30.06.2011

Accepted on 28.08.2011