The growing saturation of the urban markets has compelled the corporate houses, both national and international, to look into the immense potential of rural India for their survival and future prosperity. Although 70% of the Indian population resides here, not all corporate houses have been successful in tapping this market to their advantage. The marketers are besieged by problems of one kind or another when they venture into the rural areas. However, in determination, sincerity and innovation lie the fruitfulness of rural marketing strategies, with liberal doses of infrastructural development thrown in.

For every need of ours, large or small, today we have access to many alternative choices. Thanks to the opening up of the Indian economy to the global market, the Multinational Companies (MNCs) with their bewildering array of products have entered virtually every sphere of our life. As we become increasingly conscious of our hitherto unfelt needs, the market place turns into a battleground for competing products and brands.

The MNCs invest large sums of money and trained manpower in R&D as well as promotional activities inspired by their strong faith in the "consumer is king" mantra. The Indian urban market is on the verge of saturation. As the struggle for survival of competing companies reaches a climax, the spotlight has begun to shift to the rural market. With 70% of Indians living in villages, the potential rural market is arguably three times larger than its urban counterpart and is possibly the largest untapped market in the world (See Table1).

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