National Statistics Day - 'Use Of Data For Decision Making'

National Statistics Day in India is celebrated annually on June 29. It is celebrated to highlight the contribution of Indian statisticians and popularise statistics as a field of study.

Hyderabad:National Statistics Day in India is celebrated annually on June 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, the father of modern statistics in India. This day is celebrated to highlight the contribution of Indian statisticians and popularise statistics as a field of study.

History of the National Statistics Day:

In recognition of the notable contribution made by Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the fields of economic planning and statistical development in the post-independent era, the Government of India has decided to designate June 29 every year, coinciding with his birth anniversary, as Statistics Day. Notification to this effect was published in the Gazette of India on June 05, 2007. Since 2007, Statistics Day is celebrated every year with a theme of contemporary national importance.

This year will mark the 18th anniversary of National Statistics Day on Saturday, June 29, under the theme, 'Use of data for decision making.' The Theme highlighting the critical role that data plays in informing decisions across various sectors, driving sustainable development, and fostering innovation across various sectors.

Aims of The National Statistics Da

1. The day helps to inspires to learn statistics and to employ the same in different matters on daily basis
2. The celebration aims to create public awareness in the young generation about the role and importance of statistics as a field of study and highlight its importance in strategy, policy-making, socio-economic planning
3. The celebration is also crucial to pay tribute to the legendary statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis
4. To achieve this, various seminars, campaigns, and programs are conducted across the country to mark the day.

The main event of National Statistics Day 2024:

The main event of Statistics Day, 2024 is being organised at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. The Sustainable Development Goals - National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2024, National Indicator Framework 2024, and Sustainable Development Goals - National Indicator Framework 2024, is also scheduled to be released during the event.

Father of Indian Statistics: P.C. Mahalanobis

Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, who was born on June 29, 1893, is renowned as a pioneering Indian statistician and known as the ‘Father of Indian Statistics’. He invented the revolutionary concept of Mahalanobis distance. He played an influential role in developing India's industrialization plan in the Second Five-Year Plan too.

He also established the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta in 1931. He was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan (1968), Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1942), and Fellow of the Royal Society. He was appointed as honourary statistical advisor to the Government of India. His visionary work in the application of statistical methods has left a lasting legacy in the fields of statistics, economics, and national planning.

Why Statistics are important?

The importance of statistics in everyday life is to help people understand the various factors that can influence their life. Statistics are not just about numbers, but about the important trends that are going on in the world. Statistics are often used to determine the general population's opinion and how they feel about certain issues.

Statistics are important because they help people make informed decisions. Governments, organisations, and businesses all collect statistics to help them track progress, measure performance, analyse problems, and prioritise. Statistics assists the nation in determining the budget, comprehending the broader scenario, and identifying the ideal strategy and policy through statistical analyses. Statistics is a crucial process behind how we make discoveries in science, make decisions based on data, and make predictions. Statistics allows you to understand a subject much more deeply.

Statistics are generally applied in various fields, namely: Business, Economics, Mathematics, Banking, State Management (Administration), Accounting and Auditing, Natural and Social Sciences, and Astronomy. Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), founded in 1931, is headquartered in Kolkata with Centres in Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai and Tezpur and a branch in Giridih.

10 Great Statisticians in World:

Ronald Fish, William Sealy Gossetm W. Edwards Deming, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Gertrude Mary Cox, George E. P. Box, Janet L. Norwood

Jerzy Neyman, Abraham Wald, Harald Cramér

10 Great Indian Statisticians of all times:

C. R. Rao (1920-2023), Debabrata Basu: (1924-2001), Jayanta Kumar Ghosh: (1937-2017), Kantilal Mardia: (1935-Present), K. C. Sreedharan Pillai: (1920–1985), Pranab K. Sen: (1937- 2023), Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis: (1893 – 1972), Raghu Raj Bahadur: (1924 –1997), Raj Chandra Bose: (1901 –1987) and Samarendra Nath Roy: (1906 –1964).