If you have been following this blog for a bit, you would have noticed that I lay quite a bit of stress on the population problem which I believe underlies much of India’s present problems and I argue that unless that problem is addressed, India may never be able to become a developed nation.
Think about what that implies for a moment. Hundreds of millions of people will be born in India who would not have a chance to have a humane existence. Hundreds of millions of children will be born under-weight, tens of millions of children will die as infants, hundreds of millions of children will grow up malnourished and stunted, hundreds of millions will never see the insides of a school, never have access to the wonders of the modern world, and pass away into the great beyond after leading a Hobbesian nasty, mean, brutish, and short life.
Right now, a reasonable estimate of the number of malnourished underweight uneducated children in India would be of the order of about 50 million. They will not grow up to be productive members of society, if they grow up at all. Think about it: 50 million. To put that in perspective: there aren’t that many people in many countries today. Or think about it like this: around 1850, the population of the United States was 23 million. Add the population of England, Wales and Scotland of 1851 — 21 million — and you have a total of 44 million people. That is less than the population of undernourished children in India right now as you read it.
The entire world in 1850 had the same number of people as exist in India today — a little over a billion.
I hope that we will find the time to contemplate the problem that we face and think deeply about how to solve it. For now, we could do worse than to meditate on what the British philosopher John Stuart Mill wrote in his 1848 book Principles of Political Economy :
There is room in the world, no doubt, and even in old countries, for a great increase of population, supposing the arts of life to go on improving, and capital to increase. But even if innocuous, I confess I see very little reason for desiring it. The density of population necessary to enable mankind to obtain, in the greatest degree, all the advantages both of cooperation and of social intercourse, has, in all the most populous countries, been attained. A population may be too crowded, though all be amply supplied with food and raiment. It is not good for man to be kept perforce at all times in the presense of his species. A world from which solitude is extirpated, is a very poor ideal. Solitude, in the sense of being often alone, is essential to any depth of meditation or of character, and solitude in the presense of natural beauty and grandeur, is the cradle of thoughts and aspirations which are not only good for the individual, but which society could ill do without. Nor is there much satisfaction in contemplating the world with nothing left to the spontaneous activity of nature; with every rood of land brought into cultivation, which is capable of growing food for human beings; every flowery waste or natural pasture ploughed up, all quadrupeds or birds which are not domesticated for man’s use exterminated as his rivals for food, every hedgerow or superfluous tree rooted out, and scarcely a place left where a wild shrub or a flower could grow without being eradicated as a weed in the name of improved agriculture. If the earth must lose that great portion of its pleasantness which it owes to things that the unlimited increase of wealth and population would extirpate from it, for the mere purpose of enabling it to support a larger but not a better or happier population, I sincerely hope, for the sake of posterity, that they will content to be stationary, long before necessity compels them to it.
It is scarely necessary to remark that a stationary condition of capital and population implies no stationary state of human improvement. There would be as much scope as ever for all kinds of mental culture, and moral and social progress; as much room for improving the Art of Living, and much more likelihood of its being improved, when minds cease to be engrossed with the art of getting on. Even the industrial arts might be as earnestly and as successfully cultivated, with this sole difference, that instead of serving no purpose but the increase of wealth, industrial improvements would produce their legitimate effect, that of abridging labour. … Only when, in addition to just institutions, the increase of mankind shall be under the deliberate guidance of judicious foresight, can the conquests made from the powers of nature by the intellect and energy of scientific discoverers, become the common property of the species, and the means of improving and elevating the universal lot.
Atanu Dey : Life is a Random Draw 
Sigh! How I wish, the people who can make a difference awaken to the magnitude of the population problem. Even those nice and silly “small family happy family” ads have gone out of circulation. If not for the activists doing their bit in hard places, this is an issue that may well have been completely eliminated from public discourse a long time ago.
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Sir,I wholeheartedly agree with your views. What pains me most is that those people who can afford to bring up a couple of more children are practising family planning while those who in utter poverty have not even heard of family planning nor they want to practise it. Dr.K.Ramesh babu, CMO, vivekanad general hospital, Hubli. Karnataka. 580 023
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Jai Gurudev.
I am a follower of Gurudev since 13 Apr 2002. I am a serving officer of the Indian Army, 35 yrs old, and the Basic Course conducted by Mr. Dinesh Nair in Jabalpur started on 13 Apr 2002. Since then, till now; life has not remained the same for me, as also the many others whom we are aware of. However, most of us are unable to go all out, in doing our bit for SEVA. I, somehow, am convinced that I am meant to initiate the revival of economic activity in Bihar; through Gurudev and the AOL.
This plan of mine, as and when it materialises; will result in a definite, perceptible decrease in the migration of ‘Biharis’ to other parts of India for menial pursuits, as is presently being noticed. The land in Bihar is very fertile due to the silt deposited by the rivers from neighbouring Nepal; over the years. This aspect is planned to be exploited, since the Indian food processing industry is projected to register exponential growth in the coming years. I want to direct my energies in this sector for the development of rural Bihar. I intend to initiate a successful enterprise in the rural areas of Bihar state relating to the food processing sector with the blessings of Gurudev, and the AOL.
THE PLAN. The plan is to establish various ‘harbours’ for food processing units (making items like Tomato sauce, Potato chips, Mango Jam, Juices and Pickles etc.); all across Bihar. These harbours will be built over a large area; and all facilities will be provided to the food processing units in them. It is planned to have all these harbours managed by the spiritually motivated volunteers of AOL; all from outside Bihar.
THE FUNDS There are many Venture Capital Funds in existence; which give their support in the initial stages to start-ups (enterprises) like this; so funds will not be a constraint. I am certain of securing around $ 2 Billion (or more) from the Venture Capitalists whom I have contacted with this proposal over Internet.
FURTHER DETAILS. All the harbours will be networked over computer (and Telephone; and physical means) to the Marketing Department; which will be located in Pune city, in Maharashtra state in India. The controlling HQ of the enterprise will be in Bangalore in Karnataka state of India. The enterprise is proposed to be called the Jai Bharat enterprises. The related legal and Tax issues can be taken care of, by the Taxation Department.
WHAT IS DESIRED FROM YOU
You are requested to kindly inform me about whom I should get in touch; in order to discuss the details of the proposed enterprise; especially the coordination that will be required regarding the AOL volunteers who are sent to Bihar.
My addresses are:
Major Arun Kumar Jha
HQ 2 Signal Group
C/O 56 APO
And, the email is: madhubani5h12@rediffmail.com
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Dear Mr Atanu Dey,
Jai Gurudev.
I hope you recollect my resolve to do my bit towards improving the lot of the people in Bihar in my own small way. The credit for gently taking my thoughts in this direction goes entirely to HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji.
I am a serving Major in the Indian Army originally from Bihar, though born and brought up in Maharashtra. I am presently in contact with a Management expert dedicated to Gurudev, and have been promised of all advice as and when required.
I would like to pass on a bit of ‘knowledge’ I came across in my spiritual education process. I don’t know its effect; but, hoping for the best, here goes:
“Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. For someone who has already attained 90 degrees temperature in his past life; he has to attain only 10 degrees more to reach perfection (boiling point; like Gurudev). Whereas, for one who has achieved only 15 degrees temperature in his past life, he will have to struggle that much more to advance in the spiritual realms.â€
So, you would be well advised to please desist from your attempts at objectively analysing the cause of success of Gurudev; and focus your energies towards realising the purpose of your taking birth in human form on planet earth. I know I can do little to convince you of your good fortune to be born in India. However, just try and realise that in a few years; you will depart from this worldly existence… and try and plan your remaining years to be utilised in the best possible manner.
My plans essentially involve setting up various ‘Food Parks’ all across the fertile areas of North Bihar which will manage the activity related to the food grains produced in the villages around them. I will raise the first such food park in Madhubani district; because though my parents are presently staying in Talegaon in Pune district- we have our property and relatives in village Babu Pali in Madhubani district of Bihar. I am married, and my wife is also from Madhubani district. I have a son and a daughter: both below 10 years of age. However, I am prepared to go to our house in Madhubani at the earliest possible for me to start the required activity for the Food Parks. My parents and wife are aware of the plans and are obviously apprehensive regarding my future; but I am confident that when I have surrendered everything to Gurudev (the Divine); I will be taken care of.
I could really do with some help. My email is bpfp@rediffmail.com. I request you to kindly contact me at the earliest.
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