Why are Indians always in denial mode about Indian level of poverty?
It is an established fact that Indian poverty levels are undeniably high.
It is well known that their poverty rate is way higher than even other South Asian neighbors.
What is NOT well known is their selective "vision" in ignoring multidimensional poverty and GINI factors.
This is attributed to the Hindu class system (Varna) where they are culturally blind to the sufferings of the under-classes in India (Dalits and non-Hindus in particular).
And things are getting from worse to even worse by the day - no end in sight.
Take a look at this (most recent publication by World bank on this),
"Table 7. International extreme poverty rate in urban and rural areas, with and without spatial deflation" (Page 12).
By the way - I have been to Quest mall many many times. 95% of the shoppers in that upscale mall are visiting Bangladeshis.
The writer mistook the shoppers to be Indians from Kolkata. They don't shop there usually.