Back in 2001, out of a total Indian population of 102 crore, 18.5 lakh people or 0.7% was widowed. Fast forward to 2011 and that percentage has jumped to 4.6%, according to newly released census 2011 marriage data.
5.6 crore out of 121 crore are now widowed, with women hugely outnumbering men.
Widows have been the most disadvantaged persons in India society and the new numbers should alert policy makers to this dimension of an ageing population.
Specifically, 8.7% of the ever-married population is widowed while less than 1% is separated or divorced. Most of the widowed come from the Southern states which have low fertility, low mortality and an ageing population.
Uttar Pradesh may lead in absolute numbers given its population, but the Southern states have the highest percentage of the ever-married population widowed. Puducherry with 11.7%, Kerala with 11.3%, Tamil Nadu with 10.9%, Andhra Pradesh (undivided back in 2011) with 10.3% scores over Uttar Pradesh that stands at 8%. Delhi is even lower at 6.8% and Bihar at 6.6%.
Looking at the map of India above, Uttar Pradesh does have the highest number of people widowed. The number of widows in the state is almost double that of widowers. Overall though, one can see that the Southern states dominate the list with Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the top ten. What is clear is that the Northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir have relatively lesser number of widowed persons.
The increase in the number of widows can be attributed to increasing life expectancy of women in India, one dimension in which the balance is tilting in favour of women. According to World Bank data for 2012, men's life expectancy in India was 65 years while women's had climbed to 68 years. Since the 1990s, India has been catching up with global trends in male-female life expectancy.
In southern India, the widowed are mostly concentrated in the urban areas while they are spread evenly in rural areas in both the south and the north.
Separated and Divorced
Interestingly, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland have the highest proportion of separated and divorced as percentage of ever-married population in the country.
The chart tells a completely different picture from the maps, because while the former is based on percentages, the latter is on total numbers. While the absolute numbers might show the Northeast states as having relatively less divorces and separations, when looking at it as a percentage of the ever-married population, Northeast states dominate the list. Mizoram comes out as number one with 6.34%. Meghalaya is next with 4.11% and then Sikkim and Nagaland with 2.16% and 2.04% respectively.
This could be attributed to the relatively gender-equal structure of Northeastern states. Many communities are matrilineal, making women less dependent on men. Women are also engaged in the workforce and are able to support themselves and their children. At the same time north-eastern states do not share the extreme social stigma associated with divorce and separation in the patriarchal north and the middle class south.
Yet, the numbers of separated and divorced in India remain very low in comparison with global trends.
5.6 crore out of 121 crore are now widowed, with women hugely outnumbering men.
Widows have been the most disadvantaged persons in India society and the new numbers should alert policy makers to this dimension of an ageing population.
Specifically, 8.7% of the ever-married population is widowed while less than 1% is separated or divorced. Most of the widowed come from the Southern states which have low fertility, low mortality and an ageing population.
Uttar Pradesh may lead in absolute numbers given its population, but the Southern states have the highest percentage of the ever-married population widowed. Puducherry with 11.7%, Kerala with 11.3%, Tamil Nadu with 10.9%, Andhra Pradesh (undivided back in 2011) with 10.3% scores over Uttar Pradesh that stands at 8%. Delhi is even lower at 6.8% and Bihar at 6.6%.
Looking at the map of India above, Uttar Pradesh does have the highest number of people widowed. The number of widows in the state is almost double that of widowers. Overall though, one can see that the Southern states dominate the list with Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the top ten. What is clear is that the Northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir have relatively lesser number of widowed persons.
The increase in the number of widows can be attributed to increasing life expectancy of women in India, one dimension in which the balance is tilting in favour of women. According to World Bank data for 2012, men's life expectancy in India was 65 years while women's had climbed to 68 years. Since the 1990s, India has been catching up with global trends in male-female life expectancy.
In southern India, the widowed are mostly concentrated in the urban areas while they are spread evenly in rural areas in both the south and the north.
Separated and Divorced
Interestingly, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland have the highest proportion of separated and divorced as percentage of ever-married population in the country.
The chart tells a completely different picture from the maps, because while the former is based on percentages, the latter is on total numbers. While the absolute numbers might show the Northeast states as having relatively less divorces and separations, when looking at it as a percentage of the ever-married population, Northeast states dominate the list. Mizoram comes out as number one with 6.34%. Meghalaya is next with 4.11% and then Sikkim and Nagaland with 2.16% and 2.04% respectively.
This could be attributed to the relatively gender-equal structure of Northeastern states. Many communities are matrilineal, making women less dependent on men. Women are also engaged in the workforce and are able to support themselves and their children. At the same time north-eastern states do not share the extreme social stigma associated with divorce and separation in the patriarchal north and the middle class south.
Yet, the numbers of separated and divorced in India remain very low in comparison with global trends.
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