The late Hans Rosling worked tirelessly to collect & present FACTS about the world that generated OPTIMISM in a world that had become cynical & pessimistic.
His book FACTFULNESS focusses on 10 WRONG assumptions people have about the world, and proceeds to explain them one by one. For example most people are unaware of the massive decrease in extreme poverty in the world. From 10,000 years ago when humans shifted to agriculture as the main source of livelihood to the year 1800 AD, vast majority of the world lived in extreme poverty (equivalent of less than $2 per day in today’s money). When crops failed, and you saw your neighbors & relatives starve to death, there was only one escape, migration. In the 18th & 19th century, 1/5th of the entire country of Sweden fled to the United States to escape starvation.
In 1966, 50% of the world still lived in extreme poverty. Since then there has been a stunning fall to 29% in 1997 and only 9% in 2017.
Please see the charts below which show improvements & progress in most areas which have a direct bearing on human quality of life.
In 1800, 44% of children died before their 5th Birthday. In 2016 that number is 4% and is falling.
Smallpox, which killed 300 million all over the world in the 20th century has been eradicated. Pollution is going down, as is hunger.
THE ROAD AHEAD FOR INDIA
Extreme Poverty has dropped dramatically & life expectancy has increased substantially. While there is a long road ahead, China offers a great example (Extreme Poverty rate of only 0.7%) of a nation with a huge population that has raised 500 million people out of extreme poverty in 35 years.
India’s median age is 27 years (compared to 38 years for China). It means that 50% of our population is below 27 years age. Such a large, young population can be a BOON if it is healthy & adequately educated…and has employment opportunities
India’s road to prosperity must be paved with the following ESSENTIAL elements:
In case of Technical Education & Training, the LOPI Model offers the fastest & highest return on investment.
Learn: Basics of Industry 4.0 Technologies learnt through classes
Observe: Trainees observe the functioning of these technologies at special centres
Practice: Trainees practise installation & set-up of technologies at these centres.
Implement: Appropriately Trained Engineers (ATE) now implement in factories.
CONCLUSION: The World has seen huge & continuous progress in the last 200 years, in all areas affecting human wellbeing. India can get a tremendous ‘Demographic Dividend‘ if it can get its act together, and educate & train its ‘young & restless‘ majority, and ensure gainful employment opportunities. The Manufacturing sector will play a pivotal role as its expansion will lead to a surge in jobs in the Service Industry too.
Let us seize this once in a 1000 years opportunity & take India to its rightful place in the world.
