Who will ask if you’re home? The economy growing around urban loneliness
India is facing a growing crisis of urban loneliness, driven by rapid urbanization, an aging population, and the erosion of traditional social structures. The article highlights how both the elderly and young migrants living alone are increasingly isolated, leading to significant mental health challenges.
Why it matters
As India's demographic landscape shifts, the rise of loneliness poses a major public health challenge that could impact social stability and economic productivity.
India is the second-loneliest country in the world, according to a study by JB.com. The ranking offers a stark lens through which to view a country that is also aging rapidly, urbanising quickly and watching its traditional social structures thin out.In 2011, India had about 100 million people aged 60 and above. Projections by the Technical Group on Population Projections, cited in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s report Elderly in India 2021, show that this figure will more than double to roughly 230 million by 2036, around 15 per cent of the population.
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