It’s hardly surprising that in the latest World Happiness Index (WHI) 2026 published by the Wellbeing Research Centre of Oxford University, UK in collaboration with Gallup, the globally respected polling company, India is ranked #116 of 147 countries evaluated, below — and this is the most unkindest cut of all — Pakistan ranked #114. Among the parameters that the survey measured were: national per capita income; social support (family/community backing); healthy life expectancy; freedom to make life choices; generosity (charitable behaviour); perception of corruption.

Curiously, there’s no shame or remorse that almost all Asian countries – China (65) Indonesia (80-85 range), Vietnam (46); Malaysia (59/60) and Japan (61) declared themselves happier, with the exceptions of Bangladesh (139) and poor Afghanistan (147) ranked last. The World Happiness Index 2026 is headed by Finland and Iceland.  Anglosphere countries to whom Indians are fleeing — or would like to flee — in droves, i.e, USA (23), UK (29), Canada (25) and Australia (15) are modestly ranked and falling in the index over the years.

Gradually — too gradually — there’s growing awareness that India’s inequality is rooted in calculated neglect to universalise acceptable quality primary education. This unforgivable sin has left the majority of the population in the dumps with the amoral middle class, a mere bystander. The infirmity of WHI 2026 is that it doesn’t give sufficient weightage to this greatest deprivation of all which has totally deprived bottom-of-pyramid citizens all hope of upward mobility within a rigid and unyielding social order. It’s no coincidence that the world’s unhappiest countries are also the most uneducated.