The World Happiness Report 2025 ranks India at 118th among 147 countries. India is below Saudi Arabia, Libya, Venezuela, Uzbekistan, Rwanda, China, Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iraq, and Cameroon in happiness level which was measured on the basis of people’s self-assessed life evaluations, income, life expectancy and social security. 

Over centuries the saints and seers of India have been preaching to the world how to be happy.  Lord Krishna in the Chapter 9-28 of the Bhagwat Geeta says “Shubhashubha-phalair evam mokshyase karma-bandhanaih sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma vimukto mam upaishyasi.” A person becomes free from the bondage if he dedicates whatever he does to God. When the work is dedicated to God, the person frees himself from worry and enjoys accomplishing the task with excellence.  The result, whether it is good or bad, does not disturb him.

Through renunciation the mind gets attached to God and the person is liberated from the worldly bondage to reach God.  This is an eternal truth which will not only increase the happiness level of the Indians but will enhance efficiency, honesty and integrity among people for building a prosperous country. 

Ancient India between 300 BC to the 13th century AD was prosperous as per historians and foreign travelers’ accounts. Unfortunately, the Indian kings and rulers had forgotten this clue to success and embraced many borrowed ideas without examining those ideas and the development concepts. If a foreign concept helps people and the nation, it is better to accept it. If it is not helping, the rulers should have the courage to reject it.

More than 5000 years back, the Bhagavad Gita explains that contentment or inner peace comes when the material desires for possessions end through devotion to God. In the later period many other world religions preached the same truth about contentment.  It is the contentment which gives inner peace to achieve excellence in any field of activity. Sages and seers worked for years to realize this truth. Contentment or inner peace leads to prosperity and sustains as long as the human remains detached amid prosperity.

Finland's balanced lifestyle

The World Happiness Report ranked Finland as the happiest nation in the world for the eighth time. "They’re not happy, joyful, dancing in the streets type people, but they’re very content with their lives," said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, professor of economics at the University of Oxford and editor of the World Happiness Report. Balanced lifestyle, a healthy social life, safety and security has made Finland the happiest nation in the world.  A nation can amass wealth but it can’t make its people happy unless the people choose the right path to achieve contentment.

Social isolation, increased stress

Researchers have found increased social isolation makes people unhappy. Concentration of jobs in big cities, regional imbalance, erosion of economic diversity, environmental degradation, consumerism, the negative impact of western life style and the change of mindset among youth for sedentary office jobs in urban centers etc have triggered a large scale migration of people from rural and semi urban areas to big cities; it has increased social isolation. 

Price rise in essential commodities adds to the problem. The massive amount used for the distribution of food and freebies should be utilized to preserve water bodies, fertile agriculture land, crop diversity, traditional handicraft skills and the heritage sites. This will help people become self employed and have the joy of earning money on their own effort. Good governance will add to the happiness level of people. Quality education, health, police and judiciary can significantly improve the happiness level of people. Brave, efficient, educated and patriotic leaders can only create a favorable environment in the society to enhance happiness level.   

The Happiness Survey reveals mega cities have increased stress levels despite employment opportunities. Overcrowding, social disconnection, and environmental issues disturb the urbanites. Small cities and villages report higher happiness due to stronger social bonds and lower cost of living.

Spiritual wealth, inclusive opportunities

The economic growth model at the cost of happiness is bound to malfunction. The world economy collapses every three to five years due to human greed which amasses wealth amid war, violence, hunger, poverty and unemployment.  The growth of a nation does not mean its material wealth but spiritual wealth, health and the contentment of people; the growth benefit should percolate to create inclusive opportunities for the majority of people. 

Ancient India had more than 25% of the wealth of the world. India was a leader in manufacturing, cottage industries, maritime trade, science, architecture, innovation and agriculture etc. India still has all the ingredients to become a happy and prosperous country. 

(The writer is a sustainable economic activities analyst. Views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at sudhansuranjandas2007@gmail.com )