Keralam at 70: holding a mirror to India

In 1956, Keralam was amongst the poorest States, on par with Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Presently, it is amongst the richest; but more importantly, it has a lower infant mortality than the U.S. If Keralam were counted as a nation, it would rank 75 on the Human Development Index, ahead of China.

It would also be 55 ranks above India which is at 130. This transformation and divergence from the national path is the globally lauded ‘Keralam story’. This story, which is, of course, not seamless and unblemished, is built on a central animator: a robust democracy, which is a rarity in the Global South.

Its significance is enhanced further because Keralam is also among the most religiously diverse regions. Keralam reinforces Amartya Sen’s original thesis that development is about expanding human freedoms rather than mere economic growth; human development does not require high incomes. Yet even now the central thrust of the national development regime is “Viksit Bharat 2047,” an income-based development measure.