On the birth anniversary of eminent statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis, India celebrates National Statistics Day to popularise the idea of increasing people's awareness of statistics and encouraging them to apply them.
The National Statistics Day of India is observed on the 29th of June every year by arranging seminars, programmes, and campaigns across the country.
National Statistics Day History
The Government of India chose to commemorate National Statistics Day on the birth anniversary of Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. The Indian government published a procurement of notification on 5th June 2007 on this matter.
The aim was to pay tribute to legendary Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis for his contribution to economics planning for India.
Why is National Statistics Day Celebrated?
Notable statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis was from Calcutta and he invented the revolutionary concept of Mahalanobis distance. He played an influential role in developing India's industrialization plan in the Second Five-Year Plan too. He also established the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta in 1931.
He made a significant contribution to economic planning during the post-independence era to assist the country in sustaining sustainable economic goals. The government of India observes his birth anniversary as National Statistics Day to pay tribute to the maestro for his noteworthy contribution to the economic advancement of the country.
The celebration of National Statistics Day also aims to educate people on the importance of knowing the basics of statistics as it plays a major role in our daily lives.
The youngsters of the present generation are also encouraged to learn statistics as they serve as the epitome of building socio-economic growth.
National Statistics Day Origin
The first National Statistics Day was commemorated in 2007. Following that event, a proclamation was released in the Indian Gazette on June 5, 2007. Since then, seminars, conferences, discussions, and contests have been conducted on this day to raise awareness of the role of official statistics in nationwide progress.
Facts About National Statistics Day
The celebration of National Statistics Day was virtual due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The video conference was broadcast from the NITI Aayog in Delhi.
Rao Inderjit Singh, Honble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and Ministry of Planning, was the Chief Guest of the virtual event.
The theme was focused on sustainable developmental goals.
The winners of the Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis national award in official statistics and the Prof. C.R. Rao national award for young statisticians were announced.
Themes With The Year-Wise List of National Statistics Day
2021: "Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-2 (End Hunger, Achieve Food Security, Improve Nutrition, and Promote Sustainable Agriculture)"
2020: "SDG- 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all of all ages) & SDG- 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls)."
2019: "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)"
2018: "Quality Assurance in Official Statistics"
National Statistics Day Significance
The celebration of National Statistics Day holds great significance. It inspires the youth minds to learn statistics and to employ the same in different matters on daily basis. The celebration is also crucial to pay tribute to the legendary statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis.
The celebration of National Statistics Day in India is crucial as this day encourages individuals to learn and comprehend how statistics may be used to assist in developing and outlining the countrys policies.
FAQs on National Statistics Day
Q.1. Which day is observed as National Statistics Day in India?
National Statistics Day is observed on the 29th of June every year in India.
Q.2. What are the awards that were given out on National Statistics Day in 2021?
The winners of the Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis national award in official statistics, 2021, and Prof. C. R. Rao national award for young statisticians, 2021, were given on National Statistics Day in 2021.
Q.3. What was the theme of National Statistics Day in 2021?
The theme of National Statistics Day 2021 was "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-2: End Hunger, Achieve Food Security, Improve Nutrition, and Promote Sustainable Agriculture."
Q.4. Why is National Statistics Day observed in India?
The National Statistics Day is observed on the birth anniversary of Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis to popularise the idea of promoting awareness of statistics among people and to encourage them to use them.
Q.5. With regards to the National Statistics Day, who is considered the father of Indian statistics?
With regards to the National Statistics Day, Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis is regarded as the father of Indian statistics.