DALLAS: Although India is still younger than USA and Japan from a demographic standpoint, the process of aging has begun in the country. It is anticipated that the elders in India would increase both in absolute numbers and relative strength, indicating a gradual swing to a senior population. As per Census of India projections, the percentage of elders as a percentage of total population in the country would jump from 7.4 per cent in 2001 to 12.4 per cent in 2026 and touch 19.7 per cent in 2050.
In 2011, India had about 76 million seniors above the age of 60 years, and it is expected that this figure will grow to 173 million by 2025, further increasing to about 240 million by 2050. This marked increase in elderly population would involve a change in an important sociological aspect, the ‘old age dependency ratio’. Interestingly, by 2050, it is estimated that the number of dependent adults in India will be at par with the number of dependent children. The population pyramid shows that the movement of the bulge in the population northwards to higher age cohorts with time……