National Statistics Day 2022: Why PC Mahalanobis birth anniversary is celebrated as National Statistics Day?

National Statistics Day 2022 theme: National Statistics Day is marked on June 29 to celebrate the notable contribution in the fields of economic planning and the statistical development made by Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. National Statistics Day 2022 also marks the birth anniversary of Mahalanobis, who is popularly known as the ‘Father of Indian Statistics’.

On National Statistics Day 2022, the country commemorates renowned statistician PC Mahalanobis and also aims at creating public awareness about the significance of statistics in daily life and in the process of planning and development. Globally, World Statistics Day is observed on October 20 every five years.

Read more about National Statistics Day 2022 here and what is the significance of the day in current times.

Statistics Day 2022 to be celebrated on 29-06-2022 with the theme ‘Data for Sustainable Development'

The Day is celebrated since 2007, to mark the birth anniversary of late Indian scientist & statistician, Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis

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— PIB India (@PIB_India) June 28, 2022

National Statistics Day 2022 theme

The theme of the National Statistics Day 2022 announced by the Government of India is 'Data for Sustainable Development'. 

National Statistics Day 2022 History

National Statistics Day was first celebrated on June 29, 007 to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Prof. PC Mahalanobis in the fields of economic planning and statistical development. His birth anniversary on June 29 was chosen as the National Statistics Day and a notification for this was first published in the Gazette of India on June 5, 2007.

National Statistics Day India: Why PC Mahalanobis birth anniversary is celebrated as National Statistics Day?

1. In the post-Independent era, Mahalanobis had emerged as one of the key figures in the field of collecting essential statistical data that further allowed the Government of India to set policies.

2. After he graduated in Physics from Presidency College, Calcutta in 1912, Mahalanobis moved to England to study Physics and mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

3. After returning from England, the academician taught at the Presidency College for a few years and was later established at the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta in 1931.

4. Mahalanobis is also credited with establishing the National Sample Survey in 1950. Its objective was to provide comprehensive socio-economic statistics.

5. He had also set up the Central Statistical Organisation to coordinate the statistical activities in India.

6. PC Mahalanobis was also a member of the Planning Commission of India from 1955 to 1967.

7. The second five-year plan of the Planning Commission relied on Mahalanobis mathematical description on the Indian economy. It later was known as Mahalanobis Model.

National Statistics Day 2022: How will India celebrate the day?

The Indian Government celebrates National Statistics Day to commemorate PC Mahalanobis and popularize the use of statistics in everyday life.

The celebration of the National Statistics Day aims to sensitize the public about how statistics help in shaping and framing government policies.

National Statistics Day is organized by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and various seminars, programs, competitions, and discussions are also organized on this day.