smile please

The latest World Happiness Report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network has a lot to think about for India. According to its ranking of countries, India is one of the least happy – measured by social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. We are ranked 125, lagging behind our neighbors Nepal, Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka. At the bottom is Afghanistan at number 137. Topping the list is Finland, which has been crowned the world’s happiest country for six years in a row, followed by Denmark and Iceland. Israel and the Netherlands are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Nordic countries tend to do well by such parameters, thanks in part to the strong social security systems they generally provide. But our policies in India are focused on increasing rather than distributing the economic share. Undoubtedly, it is necessary, given the need for the upliftment of our majority. However, our expansion has been skewed, with only the better-off flourishing, while the rest lag far behind. While happiness may involve more than just economic well-being, increasing people’s financial means would be a great help. And for this equal development is important.