Independence Day 2024: How India's GDP, per capita income, literacy, other indicators improved since 1947

GDP zooms

While data on India's gross domestic product (GDP) was not officially collected in 1947, British economist Angus Maddison estimated the country to have contributed only 3% to the world's total income in 1950. In comparison, India contributed 16% towards the global economy in 2023, as per the World Economic Forum.

According to the data shared by Niti Aayog, the Centre's topmost think-tank, India's GDP at constant prices stood at ₹4.97 lakh crore in 1950-51. The same climbed to ₹173.82 lakh crore in 2023-24.

Source: Niti Aayog

Per capita income up 800 times

Therefore, the current per capita income, at ₹2.12 lakh, marks a jump of 800 times as compared to the per capita income of 1950.

Poverty scaled down

The first official records related to the country's poverty were filed in 1956, when BS Minhas, a member of the Planning Commission -- the predecessor of Niti Aayog -- estimated that around 215 million or 65% of the population was below the poverty line. Those who earned an annual income of less than ₹220 were included under the poverty bracket.

Around seven decades later, India has significantly reduced poverty. The most recent numbers were reflected in a study released by SBI Research, which claimed that the poverty rate stood in the range of 4.5% to 5%. In absolute terms, the number could be around 7 crore, considering India's overall population of about 140 crore.

The report estimated the poverty line as ₹1,929 for urban areas (monthly income) and ₹1,622 for rural areas.

Life expectancy nearly doubles

As per the estimates shared by the United Nations Population Fund, the average life expectancy in India for men and women stood at 36 years in 1950. Data preceding that period has not been shared by the agency.

For 2024, the UN agency sees the average life expectancy for men at 68 years, and for women at 71 years. This shows that the average life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past seven decades.

Literacy rate climbs

The data related to literacy was first formally collected in 1951. According to official data, the literacy rate that year stood at 18.66%.

The literacy data is shared by the Government of India along with the Census. The last Census was conducted in 2011, and the literacy rate at the time stood at 74.04%.