Shailendra says it's hard for him to compare his life to those living in India's cities.

CNN: India's youth reflect nation's contrasts

Shailendra's life seems removed from figures supporting the booming economic development across the subcontinent.

CNN: India's youth reflect nation's contrasts

Living in Bihar, India's poorest state, Shailendra says that farming is one of the only options available to help him eke out a living.

CNN: India's youth reflect nation's contrasts

Drinking "cold coffee, " a milky-sweet coffee drink popular in India, Mohita acknowledges that the beverage costs more than a farmer like Shailendra would earn on an average day.

CNN: India's youth reflect nation's contrasts

"I am not going to be like this forever, life will be better for me in (the) future, " Shailendra says, though he's less clear when asked how he'll accomplish such change.

CNN: India's youth reflect nation's contrasts

But Shailendra is hardly an exception in India.

CNN: India's youth reflect nation's contrasts