25 years ago it was the norm to wait 8 years for a telephone line and a 3-minute international call was $5. Today it took me 15 minutes and less than $20 to get a SIM card for my mobile, 500 minutes local talk time included (international calls are 30 cents per minute, cheaper than in Europe.)

25 years ago Indian airways was the sole domestic carrier. Today you can choose between 10 private and low-cost carriers.

25 years ago there was no Coca-Cola. Today environmentalist groups may succeed in a new ban of the brown liquid because of pesticide levels that exceed Western standards.

25 years ago it took an hour and up to 17 forms to cash a travellers cheque. Today it is done in less than a minute.

25 years ago a typical lunch cost 5 Rupees or a half-dollar. Today it is 25 Rupees - or still a half-dollar. Inflation! What inflation?

25 years ago there were no foreign brands and Indians had the perception that all locally made goods were inferior. Today you can get whatever you want - and Indians have found out that foreign does not always mean better. A long list of Western and Japanese companies that have failed to satisfy the needs of one billion incredibly quality-conscious consumers and consequently faltered shows that Indians cannot be fooled for long.

25 years ago I could not have ordered a Tanqueray & Tonic but only “3 Star Whisky” that made you blind. OK, attribute this to my holiday mood.