Despite the rooted presence of Ayurveda and other Indigenous Medical Systems, India’s Life Expectancy was remarkably low. In 1947, the average life expectancy in India was 32 years. Yes, you read that right. An average human being born in India was expected to live only 32 years of age. So, what was the reason that stained India’s reputation as a low life expectancy country!
There are many debates on this!
Many say that it was because of the inaccessibility of modern medicine back in the day. People lost their lives to diseases that could be managed by modern medicine. The second facet of this misery was thought to be the low living standards, poor hygiene and nutrition. There has been a massive change in the Healthcare System in Pre and Post-Independence India.
The most common argument being – ‘If Ayurveda is so efficient, then why was India a low life expectancy country?’
In this blog, I bring you a factual analysis of all these factors. It’s not my attempt to defend Ayurveda but a quest to uncover the truth of India’s history. I want you all to see the larger picture, the whole truth tuning to the Britisher’s verdict on Ayurveda!
Also Read: 4000 weeks is all you got!
India – A country with low life expectancy!
It is true that life expectancy in 1947 was just 32 years. And today it has gone up to almost 70. This title of low life expectancy country has raised many questions on the indigenous medicinal systems of this country. Ayurveda, Siddha and other traditional systems of medicines faced the heat of this debate.
But the reasons for India becoming a low life expectancy country were varied and different.
Also Read: Ayurveda in the management of communicable diseases
Here are 5 facts you must know
Though the life expectancy in India was low in 1947, it has also traced a remarkable recovery graph. At present, the average life expectancy in this country of billions in 70 years. Thus, life expectancy in India has traced an impressive growth curve. Here are some factors that were mainly responsible for the low life expectancy of Indians.
The Problem with Calculating Life Expectancy
Life expectancy takes into account deaths caused by war, riots, epidemics, natural disasters and famine. Apart from the natural deaths and disease-induced deaths. This is a simple explanation of why life expectancy was so low in 1947.
India participated in the world war on behalf of Great Britain which caused massive loss of life. The oppression at the hands of the British and the massacres too led to an increase in the death count of the country.
The chaos of partition and independence caused riots all around. Famines were a routine in British India, killing millions which impacted the life expectancy estimates. In such a situation, it was very difficult for ayurvedic Vaidyas to practice!
Also Read: Management of Epidemics in Ayurveda
Ayurveda Worked Before Modern Food and Lifestyles
People who followed an ayurvedic lifestyle in the 1940s and 50s actually lived a much longer life. It’s longer than the 2019 life expectancy estimates for India. Renowned personalities like Gandhi or Morarjee were testament to this.
They were able to live a longer fuller life by following an Ayurvedic lifestyle. History is replete with evidence that people who had access to true Ayurvedic practices went on to live a long healthy life. Indian sages are the best example of this. Their life expectancy has always been high despite the circumstances or standards of living.
An irrational Doctor-Population Ratio
Reports say India had only 50,000 doctors for 35 crore people at the time of Independence. Thus, making medical care inaccessible to a larger lot. This has improved significantly to a doctor per 1,456 people as per 2019-20 estimates.
The improved doctor-patient ratio has made medical service accessible thus, contributing to the improved life span. This is a simple logic that no way proves the inefficacy of Ayurveda or another medicinal system.
Poverty – The Root Cause of Illness and Death
It’s a known fact that poverty can negatively impact a country’s statistics. Be it GDP, economic growth or life expectancy. The people below the poverty line live a life deprived of the essentials. They don’t have access to nutrition or medication. As such, their life expectancy is unsurprisingly low.
When Britishers left India, they left it in a state of poverty. The nation has been uplifting people from the state of poverty since independence. In the last 10 years, it uplifted 271 million people out of the poverty line.
Nutrient Deficient Diets
In the years the 1960s and 70s India has been hit by famines. Famines and poverty are a catastrophic combination. The predominant majority of Indians, as high as almost 90% were malnourished. It was even worse in the British India period.
Famines and natural calamities have been a regular thing in this country of diverse topography. The struggles of the farmers are still a story of the 21st century. People under the poverty line suffer from malnourishment even today.
Even today, in India it is difficult to keep track of all deaths. So, we can imagine the record-keeping systems from half a century ago. Thus, blaming the low life expectancy on a traditional system of medicine that was not even accessible to the entire population would be a vague claim.
Ayurveda as a system of medicine has been uplifting life for 5000 years. Yet, it has hardly received any patronage. There were many attempts to curb this natural wealth by calling it ‘pseudo-science and quackery’.
It is true Ayurveda had a rooted presence but it was not available to the masses back in the 1940s. In a country of billions, there were a handful of ethical practitioners of Ayurveda. Most of the population depended on home cures or local elders for medical advice.
India – A low life expectancy country by circumstances
It is easy to point fingers at Ayurveda for stating this low life expectancy argument. But to blame Ayurveda, one has to turn a blind eye to these external factors. Thus, Ayurveda was not at fault for the low life expectancy in India.
It is true modern medicines have changed the world. Micro-particle level research, breakthrough anti-biotics, vaccines and detailed lab tests have improved life expectancy worldwide. It has helped eradicate many deadly diseases from the face of the Earth.
But that does not mean Ayurveda was ineffective. Many traditional Ayurvedic practices are proven by researches. In fact, today many modern formulations are based on Ayurvedic knowledge. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ayurveda has been at the forefront of this war.
Thus, many external factors were responsible for making India a low life expectancy country. Thus, it can be said that had Ayurveda been made available to the masses then the statistics on life expectancy would be completely different!
2 comments
this was nice blog
many thanks for enlightening us with the facts 🙂