Owing to extreme weather flare-ups and the impact of the rising cost of living, two in three Indians (around 65 per cent) claim to be happy in August 2024, though there has been a significant drop in happiness consecutively for the past two months. As per the Ipsos IndiaBus Happiness Monitor, the happiness levels witnessed a drop of around 5 per cent each in August and July.
Citizens in the west zone (88 per cent) and tier one (85 per cent) cities are the happiest, as per the research, while the east zone has seen a major drop in happiness due to unrest in Kolkata and Manipur and vagaries of weather. Citizens in tier three (43 per cent), the east zone (44 per cent) and the south zone (46 per cent) reported lowest happiness levels.
"Prima facie, while there is a significant dip in happiness levels from July, let’s not miss the woods for the trees – the majority of Indians are in a happy state of mind, though the monsoon has wreaked havoc and adversely impacted several regions of India. The tragic rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata and the unrest in Manipur has seen happiness levels drop by -21 per cent in the East zone,” stated Parijat Chakraborty, Group Service Line Leader, Public Affairs, Corporate Reputation, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
As per the survey, family (73 per cent) continues to be the biggest source of happiness in August 2024, followed by health (65 per cent), friends’ circle (65 per cent), colleagues or business associates, employer or work (64 per cent) and neighbours (57 per cent). Economic and financial conditions (53 per cent), the situation in the country (53 per cent) and the situation in the world (49 per cent) were also major contributors.
