India has changed a lot as a country recently. Indians are now more active, more vocal, demanding for their rights, going on strikes and doing everything possible to live with contentment. While we are here, fighting for ‘acche din’, seems like we’ve lost so much. It turns out that perfect days are not worthy if you are not happy enough.
A recent UN World Happiness Report shows some heartbreaking results for Indians. The country is getting sadder each year as it has dropped down to the 140th spot on the index. Indians are not even as happy as they were in 2018 as the country has stumbled down seven spots. The UN World Happiness Report released this Wednesday with Finland being the happiest country second time in a row.
Sustainable Development Solutions Network released the report on March 20, for the United Nations. March 20 has been declared as World Happiness Day by the UN General Assembly in 2012.
According to the report, the overall world happiness has fallen over the past few years. The downfall is majorly affected by a constant drop in India, which came in 140th place this year as compared by the 133rd place in 2018.
The UN’s seventh annual World Happiness Report ranks the world’s 156 countries on “how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be”. The report also suggested that there has been an upsurge in negative emotions, including worry, sadness, and anger.
Finland has banked in the first position as the happiest country in the world for the second year in succession. Whereas Pakistan is ranked 67th, Bangladesh 125th and China are placed at 93rd, according to the report. People in war-ridden South Sudan are the most unhappy with their lives. Central African Republic (155), Afghanistan (154), Tanzania (153) and Rwanda (152) follow.
However, despite being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the United States ranks at 19th place. The happiness survey ranks the nations of the world on the basis of questions based upon the Gallup World Poll. India, being one of the fastest-growing countries in the past few decades, is losing most of its achievements with time. The country is lagging behind in development, safety, GDP and now happiness. It’s heartbreaking to know that even after being privileged ones, as compared to a lot of other nations, we are almost on the same happiness scale as war-ridden countries.
Now to know the real reason why India is placed so low in the list, we also have to understand the standards and criteria according to which countries are ranked.
The happiness rankings are based on the below-given factors:
- GDP per capita
- Healthy years of life expectancy
- Social support, which is measured by having someone by the side in times of trouble.
- Trust, which is measured by a perceived absence of corruption in government and business.
- Perception of people’s personal liberties
- Generosity, which is measured by recent donations.
These factors not only deter the happiness in India but also put in light other grave issues our country is suffering through.
Other factors that affect the happiness in India consist of the absence of public infrastructure for education, safety and security concerns for women and mental health which is totally ignored in India. The need of the hour is for the higher authorities to work upon these issues. The government needs to work towards having a healthy balance of prosperity and social capital, a higher degree of trust in the society, a lower rate of inequality and higher confidence in the government.