Odd hours, absurd targets, lure of quick money - all these make for a deadly cocktail. Some BPO workers get through the hangover; others aren't so lucky
They work graveyard shifts, sleep all day and are plagued with 'lifestyle diseases' by the time they hit 35. They hardly get to meet family members despite sharing the same roof. Their Yankee accents are often ridiculed. Yet they are a part of the sunshine industry. 
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Welcome to the world of call centres - dominated by young adults, often with minimal qualifications but always with big aspirations. There is money of course, but it certainly isn't 'easy'.u00a0u00a0
"Initially it feels very nice because you are earning. But it starts pinching when you have to reach a target. Sometimes, even a 100 per cent effort on your part does not help," said Anjana Nath, who has been working in the BPO industry for five years.
"You don't get leaves even when you are sick. They treat people like machines," said Sana Noor, 29, who is working for another call centre but plans to quit soon.
It's an industry that has become an apologue of the new, tech-savvy India with unbounded aspirations. Only, a few have to pay the price.
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