India's Happiness Ranking: 126th in 2024 Report

Lags Behind Pakistan, Iraq, and Palestine

On Wednesday, March 20, India was positioned 126th out of 143 nations in the World Happiness Report 2024, marking the UN's International Day of Happiness.

According to the report by a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board, India ranks behind Pakistan, Libya, Iraq, Palestine, and Niger.

Finland maintained its position as the happiest country in the world for the seventh consecutive year. Joining Finland in the top ten were Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia. Afghanistan was situated at the bottom of the list.

According to the report quoted by PTI, older age is linked with higher life satisfaction in India, which refutes claims suggesting that this positive association only exists in high-income nations.

According to the report, older men in India generally exhibit higher life satisfaction than older women. However, when considering all other factors, older women tend to report higher life satisfaction than older men.

The study showed that older adults in India with at least a secondary education and from higher social castes reported higher life satisfaction than those without formal education and from scheduled castes and tribes.

As per the report cited by PTI, India's older population ranks as the second largest globally, with 140 million individuals aged 60 and over, following China with 250 million counterparts. Moreover, the average growth rate for Indians aged 60 and above is three times higher than the overall population growth rate of the country.

The report further stated that older men, individuals in higher age brackets, currently married individuals, and those with education reported higher life satisfaction compared to their respective counterparts. Factors such as lower satisfaction with living arrangements, perceived discrimination, and poor self-rated health were identified as important contributors to low life satisfaction among older Indians.