CINCINNATI — New data from the United Nations shows that India surpassed China this week to become the most populous country in the world.
Yash Sharma is an International Affairs Ph.D. student at the University of Cincinnati who moved to the United States from India nearly two years ago, but hasn’t forgotten his roots.
“India in the last 30 years has had tremendous economic growth,” said Sharma. “India culture, identity and traditions have become much more global with food and music.”
That’s not the only thing that’s growing. Global data shows the nearly one a half billion people living in India is more than any other country in the world. This week, it surpassed China, which had been considered the most populous country since the 1950s. Sharma believes a big reason for the change is China’s policy that only lets families have one child.
“What we’re seeing now is a long-term consequence of slowing down of birthrates in China over the four-decade period, whereas India hasn’t had a comparable policy which is strict,” he said.
Sharma said in India, women are getting married younger and having more children. Not only are they having children, but young adults are also prioritizing education.
“We have a reasonably educated population, but that hasn’t always translated into equitable employment opportunities,” he said. “So, that’s one of the biggest challenges for India today.”
Sharma said the country is currently addressing those economic inequalities and creating policies that will help young people become success.
“Continuing to make sure that economic policies are designed to maximize this young potential India has as the most populous country is what I think the priorities should look like,” he said.
