National Statistics Day is observed on June 29, in honor of the late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. He was called the ‘father of Indian statistics’ and was born on June 29, 1893, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal.
Mahalanobis’ most notable contribution was the Mahalanobis’ distance. The formula helps calculate the distance between a point and a distribution based on measurements in multiple dimensions. The technique is widely used for cluster analysis and classification. He has also served in the first Planning Commission of India.
He founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and designed large-scale surveys. His contributions to modern statistics in India have earned him the title of ‘father of modern statistics’.
A government note on National Statistics Day celebrations, stated, ‘This year, due to Covid-19 pandemic, the main event of the Statistics Day, 2021 is being organized through Video Conferencing/ Webcasting at NITI Aayog, New Delhi.’
Significance of the day
In a release from the ministry of statistics and program implementation, June 29 was designated as one of the special days to be celebrated in recognition of Mahalonobis’ invaluable contribution in setting up the National Statistical System.
Importance of statistics
Statistics plays an important role in creating economic policies. The facts are presented in a precise and definitive manner. Statistics plays a crucial role in the health field and aids to conduct social surveys. Also, it is a very important part of Mathematics.
The theme of the day
The theme of this year’s National Statistics Day is ‘End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture’ (Sustainable Development Goal or SDG 2 of the UN). Goal 2 looks for ‘sustainable solutions to end hunger in all its forms by 2030 and to achieve food security.’
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