“Statistics Day”

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Context

• Government of India has designated 29th June every year as “Statistics Day”.

Background

• Every year, on June 29, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, known as the father of modern statistics, is commemorated on his birth anniversary.
• He is revered as the pioneer of modern statistics in India, having established the Indian Statistical Institute, influenced the formation of the Planning Commission, and introduced methodologies for conducting extensive surveys.
• This occasion is observed to honor his significant contributions to statistics in the fields of socio-economic planning and policy formulation.
• The festival aims to enhance public awareness regarding the importance of statistics in daily life and its crucial role in the process of planning and development.

National Statistics Day: History

• National Statistics Day was first observed on June 29, 2007, to pay tribute to Professor Mahalanobis for his outstanding contributions to statistical research and economic planning.
• His birthday was officially designated as National Statistics Day, as announced in a notification published in the Indian Gazette on June 5th, 2007.

Theme of Statistics Day, 2023

• The theme of Statistics Day, 2023 is “Alignment of State Indicator Framework with National Indicator Framework for Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals”.

Conribution of PC Mahalanobis

• PC Mahalanobis, who founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1932.
• Later went on to establish the National Sample Survey in 1950 and the Central Statistical Organisation to coordinate statistical activities.
• From 1955 to 1967, he served as a member of the Planning Commission.
• He gained fame for introducing the concept of 'Mahalanobis distance,' which measures the distance between two points in a multivariate space.
• During India's second five-year plan, Mahalanobis actively contributed by introducing innovative techniques such as fractal graphical analysis to compare the socio-economic conditions of diverse groups. 

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. India has contributed greatly to the field of statistics and its rich statistical heritage owes a lot to Prof PC Mahalanobis. Throw light on the legacy of PC Mahalanobis and other major Indian Statisticians who have contributed greatly to the world. Useful Links: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/great-indian-statisticians-all-times-aniruddha-deshmukh/ https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/indias-huge-footprint-in-global-statistical-arena-503861 https://bhavana.org.in/review-glimpses-of-indias-statistical-heritage/

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1935788