Longevity Challenges: Preparedness Benefits
Anumapa Dutta
Head, Policy Research and Advocacy

HelpAge India

Sep 2025

India overtook China to become the most populous country in the world and boasts a demographic dividend. The average age of an India is still below 30 years. Great, our thinking, policies, structures, and systems are geared towards dealing with health care, wellbeing, education, and skill-building of children and youth. But India is also experiencing a silent demographic shift towards becoming an ageing society, and in the next couple of decades, it will become an aged society. Some refer to this demographic bonus as a euphemism, suggesting that by the year 2025, almost 1/5th of our population will be over the age of 60. Just like we consciously developed systems to take care of the needs of the children (mothers) and youth, we need to seriously think and act about how to deal with the challenges that longevity will present to us. One can argue that this trajectory was experienced by many other countries in the world. But it would be good to remember and emphasise that they developed systematic responses to it, mostly in the realm of paid services in the market and many in the realm of state economies. Countries in Asia are experimenting with community care models. What would be an ideal choice for India, just in case we would like to find solutions within the tried and tested ambit?

Before we delve deep into solutions, it would be good to list out the obvious challenges that longevity presents to people and society. First of all people experience ageing differently, men and women, poor, not so poor, rich, super rich, socially disadvantaged, educated, skilled, uneducated unskilled, rural and urban, married, single, living with family, living without family, living in charity homes, living in paid facilities, living on the street, abused by family, respected by family,  digitally savvy, digitally excluded, physically challenged, mentally challenged and many more nuances and intersections make the picture more complex.

The common challenges are a lack of social role, opportunities for social and economic participation at best and clear and complete exclusion at worst; thereby reducing the possibility of interdependence and leaving the options of sterile independence or degrading dependence. The challenges become more pronounced with each factor, such as age, gender, and economic status. An older woman who predominantly played the role of a nurturer to her family is left with an empty nest, a husband who may predecease her and leave her in complete isolation with only the need to survive herself. An older man who retires from his job at 60, given no opportunity to reskill or relearn or re-engage, doesn’t have much in terms of a relationship with his children is left in isolation to survive without much to do in life. This state of ennui continues for at least 20 to 25 years. So, you can either continue to live in your cocoon or live with your children on their terms, looking after their children or running errands for them. With changes in family size and structure, and digital India now, even that scope is reducing. The family no longer requires the older persons to play the traditional roles of caregivers to grandchildren, pay bills, and buy vegetables. These services are replaced by more efficient market responses and e-commerce. Why bother asking your father to go out and buy vegetables when you can get them in 10 minutes by the movement of your fingers?

We can also look at various combinations and permutations of the intersections of age, areas, income, education, age, disability, marital status and living arrangement to see and understand what it means to be old in India and to live like that for 1/3rd of your life.

Is the situation so worrisome for all older people in India? Yes and No. India is a vast country with a huge population and variations. So, even if this is true for 20% of the older population, that is estimated to be 14 crores (140 million), it is a substantial number, and if we do not act resolutely now, this will be the challenge that a large percentage of the 31 crores (310 million) will face in 2050. If we want a Viksit Bharat in 2047, then we cannot afford to let the old-world notions guide the aged and ageing population. It would be a colossal economic and social capital loss if older people were made just bystanders and a burden on the diminishing younger population.

It is time that we charter a path that is inclusive and enabling for all, especially the burgeoning segment of the population. It cannot be done by one stakeholder and cannot be done except by reimaging the future where government (at all levels); corporation, society, community, people all decide to do away ageism and build opportunities for older person s just like to any other segment of the population to be a contributing member. We can take any approach, but eth most suitable would be to think globally and act locally. We may take inspiration and guidance from international organizations and instruments like the UN (United Nations), WHO (World Health Organization), Madrid International plan of Action on Ageing, Decade of Healthy Ageing, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals); but act in our everyday lives to include older persons as equal members of society, rather than wait for some earthshaking thing to happen one day.