A generation is defined as a certain number of people who are born at a particular period of time, for example people born between 1980 -1990 are referred to as the 80s generation.

The generation gap is a harsh reality of life, it exists everywhere, at home, at school, in the workplace, in short we cannot escape the different thinking and behaviour between two different generation that leads to competition and conflict of interests.

The Americans have a habit of being different from the rest, they have named different generations over the last hundred years as traditionalists, baby boomers, generation X, generation Y, generation Z and currently the Millennials.

I don't think that one can simplify the generation gap in India by giving them names, I will call them generation X and what it means for the generation gap in India.

1. Home: The generation gap begins at home, it does not matter which year you were born and what generation you belong to, the generation gap between parents and children is an endless cycle because every generation was raised in a certain way with certain attitudes, behaviour and mindset that was suited for that time.

2. Technology: This can be illustrated with how technology has changed over the years, people who lived in the 1940 to 1960s had black and white television and radio, in the 1960s to the 1980s it was colour television, the 1980 to 2000s it was cable television, 2000 onwards there is internet, smartphones, smart tv etc.

3. Influence: Each generation is influenced by what they see, the earlier generations had limited access to information whereas today's generation has unlimited access to information, they are smarter and this inevitably lead to conflict between different generations.

4. Workplace: Earlier generation are not open to change, they are not dependent on machines to get work done and prefer to work with a hands on approach, whereas we use technology to get things done in real time.

5. Obedience: Nowadays, we need to question everything and are never satisfied with the answers, if you observe the older generation, they are disciplined and are not in the habit of asking questions, they do what is required of them.

6. Reading habit: When I completed my studies, the Internet had just arrived, I used to go to the library to get notes to complete my assignment, nowadays, there is so much information on the internet the library is forgotten.

7. Physical activity: The older generation are physically active even in old age because they had to do everything manually, nowadays life has changed and there is a visible generation gap because everything is automated with minimum physical activity.

8. Stress: there is a generation gap between the old and new generation when it comes to stress, the older generation led happier lives, whereas we are all the time worried about what will happen next.

There are many factors that contribute to the generation gap, the important thing is to be willingness to learn from each other, so that the old and the new can co exist and lead better lives.