Every year, hundreds of thousands of freshers migrate to new cities in different states and countries in search of jobs, leaving the comfort of their homes. While Indians top the list of educated migrants in rich countries — with over 3 million tertiary-educated migrants — 51 million migrants move within the country for jobs. The composition of migrants was explicitly visible at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So what if they get equal job opportunities in their hometowns as well?

Bengaluru-based Santosh Mahalingam’s social impact startup Mikro Grafeio is hoping to do just that, by helping people get jobs in their small towns. With this, he is also attracting corporations, entrepreneurs, and startups to move their operations to Tier II and III towns by providing them necessary infrastructure and trained workforce to fuel local businesses and empower the local economy.

Santosh hails from Kozhikode in Kerala. He recalls that around 30 years ago, despite his education credentials, the MBA graduate could neither find a job in his hometown, nor in nearby cities. He had to move to Bengaluru, nearly 350 km away, leaving his family behind.

Keeping his own struggle in mind, the 50-year-old started the company in 2021.

Finding an opportunity

“During my childhood, I would find this bank, Standard Chartered, very appealing. Whenever I would cycle to........

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