A PROJECT ON

Life expectancy in mumbai

In The Subject
Research Methodology in Commerce
Submitted By
Puneet Jethwani.
A-019
M.Com Part II (Business Management)
Under The Guidance Of
Prof. Bharat Pithadia.
To
University Of Mumbai
For
Master of Commerce Programme (Semester IV)
In
Business Management
Year: 2015-16
SVKMS
NARSEE MONJEE COLLEGE OF COMMERCE &ECONOMICS
VILE PARLE (W), MUMBAI 400056.

DECLARATION BY THE STUDENT

I,Puneet Jethwani, student of M.Com (Part II) In Business Management, Roll No.: A-019,
hereby declare that the project titled Life expectancy in Mumbai for the subject Research
Methodology in Commerce submitted by me for Semester IV of the academic year 2015-16,
is based on actual work carried out by me under the guidance and supervision of Prof. Bharat
Pithadia. I further state that this work is original and not submitted anywhere else for any
examination.

Place: Mumbai
Date: 20thFeb, 2016
Name & Signature of Student
Name

: PuneetJethwani

Signature: _________________

EVALUATION CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the undersigned have assessed and evaluated the project on Life
expectancy in Mumbai submitted by Puneet Jethwani student of M.Com. Part - II
(Semester IV) In Business Management for the academic year 2015-16. This project is
original to the best of our knowledge and has been accepted for Internal Assessment.

Name & Signature of Internal Examiner

Name & Signature of External Examiner

Principal
Amee Vora.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Projects have always been fun Learning experience, but with growing age, at this Masters
Level, it surely demands Corporate and Depth Approach.
This project was a great learning experience and I take this opportunity to acknowledge all
those who gave me their invaluable guidance and inspiration provided to me during the
course of this project by my guide.
I would like to thank Mr. Bharat Pithadia- Professor of Research Methodology in
Commerce.
I would also thank the M.Com Department of NarseeMonjee College of Commerce &
Economics who gave me this opportunity to work on this project which provided me with a
lot of insight and knowledge of my current curriculum and industry as well as practical
knowledge.
Would sincerely thank our coordinator Mr. Harish Sharma for constant guidance over the
projects and curriculums.
I would also like to thank the library staff of NarseeMonjee College of Commerce &
Economics for equipping me with the books, journals and magazines for this project.
I would also like to thank my friends and fellow students who helped me in the cause of the
project.

CONTENT
Main Page

Declaration by the Student

II

Evaluation Certificate

III

Acknowledgement

IV
INDEX

SR.NO

PARTICULARS

PAGE NO

Chapter 1

Introduction

Chapter 2

Research Methodology

24

Chapter 3

Analysis and Interpretation

31

Chapter 4

Summary, Findings &

32

Recommendation
QUESTIONNARE

29

BIBLIOGRAPHY

38

Chapter 1
MUMBAI
7

Introduction

Mumbai (/mmba/; also known as Bombay, the official name until 1995) is the capital
city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India and the ninth
most populous agglomeration in the world, with an estimated city population of 18.4 million.
Along with the neighbouring regions of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, it is one of the
most populous urban regions in the world and the second most populous metropolitan area in
India, with a population of 20.7 million as of 2011. Mumbai lies on the west coast of India
and has a deep natural harbour. In 2009, Mumbai was named an alpha world city. It is also
the wealthiest city in India, and has the highest GDP of any city in South, West, or Central
Asia. Mumbai has the highest number of billionaires and millionaires among all cities in
India.
The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing
colonies. For centuries, the islands were under the control of successive indigenous
empires before being ceded to the Portuguese and subsequently to the British East India
Company when in 1661 King Charles II married the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza, and
as part of her dowry Charles received the ports of Tangier and seven islands of Bombay.
During the mid-18th century, Bombay was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard project,which
undertook reclamation of the area between the seven islands from the sea. Along with
construction of major roads and railways, the reclamation project, completed in 1845,
transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea. Bombay in the 19th century
was characterized by economic and educational development. During the early 20th century
it became a strong base for the Indian independence movement. Upon India's independence in
1947 the city was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the Samyukta
Maharashtra movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as the capital.
Mumbai is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India. It is also one of the
world's top ten centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow, generating 6.16% of
India's GDP and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India
(Mumbai Port Trust and JNPT), and 70% of capital transactions to India's economy. The city
houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock
Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of
numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It is also home to some of India's
premier scientific and nuclear institutes like BARC, NPCL, IREL, TIFR, AERB, AECI, and
the Department of Atomic Energy. The city also houses India's Hindi (Bollywood)
and Marathi film and television industry. Mumbai's business opportunities, as well as its
8

potential to offer a higher standard of living,attract migrants from all over India, making the
city a melting pot of many communities and cultures.
Etymology
The name Mumbai is derived from Mumb or Mah-Ambthe name of the patron goddess
(Kuladevi) Mumbadevi of the native Agri, Koli and Somvanshi Kshatriya communities
and ' meaning "mother" in the Marathi language, which is the mother tongue of
the kolis and the official language of Maharashtra.

The temple of local Hindu goddess Mumbadevi, from whom the city of Mumbai derives its
name
The oldest known names for the city are Kakamuchee and Galajunkja; these are sometimes
still used. Ali Muhammad Khan, in theMirat-i-Ahmedi (1507) referred to the city
as Manbai. In 1508, Portuguese writer Gaspar Correia used the name Bombaim, in hisLendas
da ndia ("Legends of India"). This name possibly originated as the Old
Portuguese phrase bombaim, meaning "good little bay", and Bombaim is still commonly used
in Portuguese. In 1516, Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa used the nameTanaMaiambu: Tana appears to refer to the adjoining town of Thane and Maiambu to Mumbadevi.
Other
variations
recorded
in
the
16th
and
the
17th
centuries
include: Mombayn (1525), Bombay (1538), Bombain (1552), Bombaym(1552), Monbaym (15
54), Mombaim (1563), Mombaym (1644), Bambaye (1666), Bombaiim (1666), Bombeye (167
6), Boon Bay(1690), and Bon Bahia. After the British gained possession of the city in the
17th century, the Portuguese name was officiallyanglicised as Bombay.
By the late 20th century, the city was referred to as Mumbai or Mambai in the Indian
statewise official languages of Marathi, Konkani,Gujarati, Kannada and Sindhi, and
as Bambai in Hindi. The English name was officially changed to Mumbai in November
1995.]This came at the insistence of the Marathi nationalist Shiv Sena party that had just won
the Maharashtra state elections and mirroredsimilar name changes across the country and
9

particularly in Maharashtra.[43] According to Slate, "they argued that 'Bombay' was a

corrupted English version of 'Mumbai' and an unwanted legacy of British colonial rule."
Slate also said "The push to rename Bombay was part of a larger movement to strengthen
Marathi identity in the Maharashtra region." While the city is still referred to as Bombay by
some of its residents and Indians from other regions, mention of the city by a name other
than Mumbai has been controversial, resulting in emotional outbursts sometimes of a
violently political nature.

History
Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands: Bombay
Island, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known
as Little Colaba). It is not exactly known when these islands were first
inhabited. Pleistocene sediments found along the coastal areas around Kandivali in northern
Mumbai suggest that the islands were inhabited since the Stone Age. Perhaps at the beginning
of the Common era (2,000 years ago), or possibly earlier, they came to be occupied by
the Koli fishing community.
In the third century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire, during its expansion
in the south, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha. The Kanheri Caves in
Borivali were excavated in the mid-third century BCE, and served as an important centre of
Buddhism in Western India during ancient Times. The city then was known as
Heptanesia (Ancient Greek: A Cluster of Seven Islands) to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in
150 CE. The Mahakali Caves in Andheri were built between the 1st century BCE and the 6th
century CE.
Between the second century BCE and ninth century CE, the islands came under the control of
successive indigenousdynasties: Satavahanas, Western
Kshatrapas, Abhiras,Vakatakas, Kalachuris, KonkanMauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas,
before being ruled by the Silhara dynasty from 810 to 1260. Some of the oldest edifices in the
city built during this period are, Jogeshwari Caves (between 520 to 525), Elephanta
Caves (between
the
sixth
to
seventh
century), Walkeshwar
Temple (10th
century), and Banganga Tank (12th century).
King Bhimdev founded his kingdom in the region in the late 13th century and established his
capital in Mahikawati (present day Mahim). The Pathare Prabhus, among the earliest known
settlers of the city, were brought to Mahikawati from Saurashtra in Gujarat around 1298 by
Bhimdev. The Delhi Sultanate annexed the islands in 134748 and controlled it until 1407.
During this time, the islands were administered by the Muslim Governors of Gujarat, who
were appointed by the Delhi Sultanate.
The islands were later governed by the independent Gujarat Sultanate, which was established
in 1407. The Sultanate's patronage led to the construction of many mosques, prominent being
10

the Haji Ali Dargah in Worli, built in honour of the Muslim saint Haji Ali in 1431. From 1429
to 1431, the islands were a source of contention between the Gujarat Sultanate and
the Bahamani Sultanate of Deccan. In 1493, Bahadur Khan Gilani of the Bahamani Sultanate
attempted to conquer the islands but was defeated.

Geography

Mumbai consists of two distinct regions: Mumbai City district and Mumbai Suburban
district, which form two separate revenue districts of Maharashtra.] The city district region is
also commonly referred to as the Island City or South Mumbai. The total area of Mumbai is
603.4 km2 (233 sq mi). Of this, the island city spans 67.79 km2 (26 sq mi), while the suburban
district spans 370 km2 (143 sq mi), together accounting for 437.71 km2 (169 sq mi) under the
administration of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). The remaining areas
belong to various Defence establishments, the Mumbai Port Trust, the Atomic Energy
Commission and the Borivali National Park, which are out of the jurisdiction of the MCGM.
Mumbai lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River on the western coast of India, in the coastal
region known as the Konkan. It sits on Salsette Island (Sashti Island), which it partially
shares with the Thane district.] Mumbai is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west. parts of
the city lie just above sea level, with elevations ranging from 10 m (33 ft) to 15 m (49 ft); the
city has an average elevation of 14 m (46 ft).[135] Northern Mumbai (Salsette) is hilly, and the
highest point in the city is 450 m (1,476 ft) at Salsette in thePowai
Kanheri ranges. The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali National Park) is located partly
in the Mumbai suburban district, and partly in the Thane district, and it extends over an area
of 103.09 km2 (39.80 sq mi).
Apart from the Bhatsa Dam, there are six major lakes that supply water to the
city: Vihar, Lower Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tulsi, Tansa and Powai. Tulsi Lake and Vihar
Lake are located in Borivili National Park, within the city's limits. The supply from
Powailake, also within the city limits, is used only for agricultural and industrial
purposes. Three small rivers, the Dahisar River, Poinsar (or Poisar) and Ohiwara (or
Oshiwara) originate within the park, while the polluted Mithi River originates from Tulsi
Lake and gathers water overflowing from Vihar and Powai Lakes. The coastline of the city is
indented with numerous creeks and bays, stretching from the Thane creek on the eastern to
MadhMarve on the western front. The eastern coast of Salsette Island is covered with
large mangrove swamps, rich in biodiversity, while the western coast is mostly sandy and
rocky.
11

Soil cover in the city region is predominantly sandy due to its proximity to the sea. In the
suburbs, the soil cover is largely alluvial and loamy. The underlying rock of the region is
composed of black Deccan basalt flows, and their acidic and basic variants dating back to the
late Cretaceous and early Eocene eras. Mumbai sits on a seismically active zone owing to the
presence of 23 fault lines in the vicinity. The area is classified as a Seismic Zone III region,
[
which means an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.5 on the Richter scale may be expected.

Climate

Mumbai has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical wet and dry climate (Aw) under
the Kppen climate classification, with seven months of dryness and peak of rains in
July. The cooler season from December to February is followed by the summer season from
March to June. The period from June to about the end of September constitutes the southwest monsoon season, and October and November form the post-monsoon season.
Between June and September, the south west monsoon rains lash the city. Pre-monsoon
showers are received in May. Occasionally, north-east monsoon showers occur in October
and November. The maximum annual rainfall ever recorded was 3,452 mm (136 in) for
1954. The highest rainfall recorded in a single day was 944 mm (37 in) on 26 July 2005. The
average total annual rainfall is 2,146.6 mm (85 in) for the Island City, and 2,457 mm (97 in)
for the suburbs.
The average annual temperature is 27.2 C (81 F), and the average annual precipitation is
2,167 mm (85 in). In the Island City, the average maximum temperature is 31.2 C (88 F),
while the average minimum temperature is 23.7 C (75 F). In the suburbs, the daily mean
maximum temperature range from 29.1 C (84 F) to 33.3 C (92 F), while the daily mean
minimum temperature ranges from 16.3 C (61 F) to 26.2 C (79 F). The record high is
42.2 C (108 F) set on 14 April 1952, and the record low is 7.4 C (45 F) set on 27 January
1962

Life expectancy

12

Life expectancy is a statistical measure of how long an organism may live, based on the year
of their birth, their current age and other demographic factors including sex. At a given age,
life is expected to cease. The most commonly used measure of life expectancy is life
expectancy at age zero; that is, at birth (LEB), which can be defined in two ways:
while cohort LEB is the mean length of life of an actual birth cohort (all individuals born a
given year) and can be computed only for cohorts that were born many decades ago, so that
all their members died, period LEB is the mean length of life of a hypothetical cohort
assumed to be exposed since birth until death of all their members to the mortality rates
observed at a given year.
National LEB figures reported by statistical national agencies and international organizations
are indeed estimates of period LEB. In the Bronze and Iron Age LEB was 26 years; the 2010
world LEB was 67.2. For recent years in Swaziland LEB is about 49 years while in Japan is
about 83 years. The combination of high infant mortality and deaths in young adulthood from
accidents, epidemics, plagues, wars, and childbirth, particularly before modern medicine was
widely available, significantly lowers LEB. But for those who survive early hazards, a life
expectancy of sixty or seventy would not be uncommon. For example, a society with a LEB
of 40 may have few people dying at age 40: most will die before 30 years of age or very few
after 55. In populations with high infant mortality rates, LEB is highly sensitive to the rate of
death in the first few years of life. Because of this sensitivity to infant mortality, LEB can be
subjected to gross misinterpretation, leading one to believe that a population with a low LEB
will necessarily have a small proportion of older people. For example, in a
hypothetical stationary population in which half the population dies before the age of five,
but everybody else dies at exactly 70 years old, LEB will be about 36 years, while about 25%
of the population will be between the ages of 50 and 70. Another measure, such as life
expectancy at age 5 (e5), can be used to exclude the effect of infant mortality to provide a
simple measure of overall mortality rates other than in early childhoodin the hypothetical
population above, life expectancy at age 5 would be another 65 years. Aggregate population
measures, such as the proportion of the population in various age groups, should also be used
alongside individual-based measures like formal life expectancy when analyzing population
structure and dynamics.
Mathematically, life expectancy is the mean number of years of life remaining at a given age,
assuming age-specific mortality rates remain at their most recently measured levels. It is
denoted by

, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now

aged , according to a particular mortality experience. Longevity, maximum lifespan, and

life expectancy are not synonyms. Life expectancy is defined statistically as the average
13

number of years remaining for an individual or a group of people at a given age. Longevity
refers to the characteristics of the relatively long life span of some members of a population.
Maximum lifespan is the age at death for the most long-lived individual of a species.
Moreover, because life expectancy is an average, a particular person may die many years
before or many years after their "expected" survival. The term "maximum life span" has a
quite different meaning and is more related to longevity.
Life expectancy is also used in plant or animal ecology; life tables (also known as actuarial
tables). The term life expectancy may also be used in the context of manufactured
objects, although the related termshelf life is used for consumer products and the terms "mean
time to breakdown" (MTTB) and "mean time between failures" (MTBF) are used in
engineering.

Human beings at birth are expected to live on average 49.42 years in Swaziland and 82.6
years in Japan, although Japan's recorded life expectancy may have been very slightly
increased by counting many infant deaths as stillborn. An analysis published in 2011 in The
Lancet attributes Japanese life expectancy to equal opportunities and public health as well as
diet.
The oldest confirmed recorded age for any human is 122 years (see Jeanne Calment). This is
referred to as the "maximum life span", which is the upper boundary of life, the maximum
number of years any human is known to have lived.
There are great variations in life expectancy between different parts of the world, mostly
caused by differences in public health, medical care, and diet. The impact of AIDS on life
expectancy is particularly notable in many African countries. According to projections made
by the United Nations (UN) in 2002, the life expectancy at birth for 20102015
(if HIV/AIDS did not exist) would have been:

70.7 years instead of 31.6 in

Botswana

69.9 years instead of 41.5 in

South Africa

70.5 years instead of 31.8 in

Zimbabwe

The UN's predictions were too pessimistic. Actual life expectancy in Botswana declined from
65 in 1990 to 49 in 2000 before increasing to 66 in 2011. In South Africa, life expectancy was

14

63 in 1990, 57 in 2000, and 58 in 2011. And in Zimbabwe, life expectancy was 60 in 1990,
43 in 2000, and 54 in 2011.
During the last 200 years, African countries have generally not had the same improvements in
mortality rates that have been enjoyed by countries in Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
In the United States, African-American people have shorter life expectancies than their
European-American counterparts. For example, white Americans born in 2010 are expected
to live until age 78.9, but black Americans only until age 75.1. This 3.8-year gap, however, is
the lowest it has been since at least 1975. The greatest difference was 7.1 years in 1993. In
contrast, Asian-American women live the longest of all ethnic groups in the United States,
with a life expectancy of 85.8 years. The life expectancy of Hispanic Americans is 81.2 years.
Cities also experience a wide range of life expectancy based on neighbourhood breakdowns.
This is largely due to economic clustering and poverty conditions that tend to associate based
on geographic location. Multi-generational poverty found in struggling neighbourhoods also
contributes. In United States cities such as Cincinnati, the life expectancy gap between low
income and high income neighbourhoods touches 20 years.

Economic circumstances
Economic circumstances also affect life expectancy. For example, in the United Kingdom,
life expectancy in the wealthiest areas is several years longer than in the poorest areas. This
may reflect factors such as diet and lifestyle, as well as access to medical care. It may also
reflect a selective effect: people with chronic life-threatening illnesses are less likely to
become wealthy or to reside in affluent areas. In Glasgow, the disparity is amongst the
highest in the world: life expectancy for males in the heavily deprived Calton area stands at
54, which is 28 years less than in the affluent area of Lenzie, which is only 8 km away.
A 2013 study found a pronounced relationship between economic inequality and life
expectancy.[ However, a study by Jos A. Tapia Granados and Ana Diez Roux at
theUniversity of Michigan found that life expectancy actually increased during the Great
Depression, and during recessions and depressions in general. The authors suggest that when
people are working extra hard during good economic times, they undergo more stress,
exposure to pollution, and likelihood of injury among other longevity-limiting factors.
Life expectancy is also likely to be affected by exposure to high levels of highway air
pollution or industrial air pollution. This is one way that occupation can have a major effect
on life expectancy. Coal miners (and in prior generations, asbestos cutters) often have shorter
than average life expectancies. Other factors affecting an individual's life expectancy are
15

genetic disorders, drug use, tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, access
to health care, diet and exercise.

Gender differences

16

Comparison of male and female life expectancy at birth for countries and territories as
defined in the 2011 CIA Factbook, with selected bubbles labelled. The dotted line
corresponds to equal female and male life expectancy. The apparent 3D volumes of the
bubbles are linearly proportional to their population. (In the SVG file, hover over a bubble to
highlight it and show its data.)
Women used to have a lower mortality rate at every age. In the womb, male fetuses have a
higher mortality rate (babies are conceived in a ratio estimated to be from 107 to 170 males to
100 females, but the ratio at birth in the United States is only 105 males to 100
females). Among the smallest premature babies (those under 2 pounds or 900 g), females
again have a higher survival rate. At the other extreme, about 90% of individuals aged 110
are female. The difference in life expectancy between men and women in the United States
dropped from 7.8 years in 1979 to 5.3 years in 2005, with women expected to live to age 80.1
in 2005.Also, data from the UK shows the gap in life expectancy between men and women
decreasing in later life. This may be attributable to the effects of infant mortality and young
adult death rates.
In the past, mortality rates for females in child-bearing age groups were higher than for males
at the same age. This is no longer the case, and female human life expectancy is considerably
higher than that of males. The reasons for this are not entirely certain. Traditional arguments
tend to favour socio-environmental factors: historically, men have generally consumed
more tobacco, alcohol and drugs than women in most societies, and are more likely to die
from many associated diseases such as lung cancer, tuberculosis and cirrhosis of the
liver. Men are also more likely to die from injuries, whether unintentional (such
as occupational war or car accidents) or intentional (suicide). Men are also more likely to die
from most of the leading causes of death (some already stated above) than women. Some of
these in the United States include: cancer of the respiratory system, motor vehicle accidents,
suicide, cirrhosis of the liver, emphysema, prostate cancer, and coronary heart disease. These
far outweigh the female mortality rate from breast cancer and cervical cancer.
Some argue that shorter male life expectancy is merely another manifestation of the general
rule, seen in all mammal species, that larger (size) individuals (within a species) tend, on
17

average, to have shorter lives. This biological difference occurs because women have more
resistance to infections and degenerative diseases.
In her extensive review of the existing literature, Kalben concluded that the fact that women
live longer than men was observed at least as far back as 1750 and that, with relatively equal
treatment, today males in all parts of the world experience greater mortality than females. Of
72 selected causes of death, only 6 yielded greater female than male age-adjusted death rates
in 1998 in the United States. With the exception of birds, for almost all of the animal species
studied, males have higher mortality than females. Evidence suggests that the sex mortality
differential in people is due to both biological/genetic and environmental/behavioral risk and
protective factors.
There is a recent suggestion that mitochondrial mutations that shorten lifespan continue to be
expressed in males (but less so in females) because mitochondria are inherited only through
the mother. By contrast, natural selection weeds out mitochondria that reduce female
survival; therefore such mitochondria are less likely to be passed on to the next generation.
This thus suggests that females tend to live longer than males. The authors claim that this is a
partial explanation
In developed countries, starting around 1880, death rates decreased faster among women,
leading to differences in mortality rates between males and females. Before 1880 death rates
were the same. In people born after 1900, the death rate of 50- to 70-year-old men was double
that of women of the same age. Cardiovascular disease was the main cause of the higher
death rates among men. Men may be more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease than women,
but this susceptibility was evident only after deaths from other causes, such as infections,
started to decline.
Centenarians
In developed countries, the number of centenarians is increasing at approximately 5.5% per
year, which means doubling the centenarian population every 13 years, pushing it from some
455,000 in 2009 to 4.1 million in 2050. ] Japan is the country with the highest ratio of
centenarians (347 for every 1 million inhabitants in September 2010). Shimane
prefecture had an estimated 743 centenarians per million inhabitants.
In the United States, the number of centenarians grew from 32,194 in 1980 to 71,944 in
November 2010 (232 centenarians per million inhabitants)

18

Mental illness

Life expectancy in the seriously mentally ill is much shorter than the general population
The seriously mentally ill have a 10 to 25 year reduction in life expectancy. This reduction in
life is mostly due to preventable diseases

19

20

Economy

Mumbai is India's largest city (by population) and is the financial and commercial capital of
the country as it generates 6.16% of the total GDP. It serves as an economic hub of India,
contributing 10% of factory employment, 25% of industrial output, 33% of income
tax collections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40%
of India's foreign trade and 4000 crore (US$590 million) in corporate taxes. Along with the
rest of India, Mumbai has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalisation of 1991, the
finance boom in the mid-nineties and the IT, export, services and outsourcing boom in 2000s.
Although Mumbai had prominently figured as the hub of economic activity of India in the
1990s, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is presently witnessing a reduction in its
contribution to India's GDP.
As of Oct 2015, Mumbai's GDP is $278 billion (from 2014). and its per-capita (PPP) income
in 2009 was 486,000 (US$7,200), which is almost three times the national average. Its
nominal per capita income is 125,000 (US$1,800), (US$2,094). Many of India's numerous
conglomerates (including Larsen and Toubro, State Bank of India (SBI), Life Insurance
Corporation of India (LIC), Tata Group, Godrej and Reliance), and five of the Fortune Global
500 companies are based in Mumbai. This is facilitated by the presence of the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI), the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the National Stock Exchange of
India (NSE), and financial sector regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Board of
India (SEBI).
Until the 1970s, Mumbai owed its prosperity largely to textile mills and the seaport, but the
local economy has since then diversified to include finance, engineering, diamondpolishing, healthcare and information technology. The key sectors contributing to the city's
economy are: finance, gems & jewellery, leather processing, IT and ITES, textiles, and
entertainment. Nariman Point and BandraKurla Complex (BKC) are Mumbai's major
financial centres.[160] Despite competition from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, Mumbai has
carved a niche for itself in the information technology industry. The Santacruz Electronic
Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) and the International Infotech Park (Navi Mumbai) offer
excellent facilities to IT companies.
State and central government employees make up a large percentage of the city's workforce.
Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled self-employed population, who primarily
earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics and other such blue
collar professions. The port and shipping industry is well established, with Mumbai
21

Port being one of the oldest and most significant ports in India. Dharavi, in central Mumbai,
has an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of
the city; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories.
Mumbai has been ranked sixth among top ten global cities on the billionaire count, 48th on
the Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index 2008, seventh in the list of "Top Ten Cities for
Billionaires" by Forbesmagazine (April 2008), and first in terms of those billionaires' average
wealth. As of 2008, the Globalization and World Cities Study Group (GaWC) has ranked
Mumbai as an "Alpha world city", third in its categories of Global cities. Mumbai is the third
most expensive office market in the world, and was ranked among the fastest cities in the
country for business startup in 2009.

Culture

Mumbai's culture is a blend of traditional festivals, food, music, and theatres. The city offers
a cosmopolitan and diverse lifestyle with a variety of food, entertainment, and night life,
available in a form and abundance comparable to that in other world capitals. Mumbai's
history as a major trading centre has led to a diverse range of cultures, religions, and cuisines
coexisting in the city. This unique blend of cultures is due to the migration of people from all
over India since the British period.
Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinemaDadasahebPhalke laid the foundations with
silent movies followed by Marathi talkiesand the oldest film broadcast took place in the
early 20th century. Mumbai also has a large number of cinema halls that feature Bollywood,
Marathi and Hollywood movies. The Mumbai International Film Festivaland the award
ceremony of the Filmfare Awards, the oldest and prominent film awards given for Hindi film
industry in India, are held in Mumbai. Despite most of the professional theatre groups that
formed during the British Raj having disbanded by the 1950s, Mumbai has developed a
thriving "theatre movement" tradition in Marathi, Hindi, English, and other regional
languages.
Contemporary art is featured in both government-funded art spaces and private commercial
galleries. The government-funded institutions include the Jehangir Art Gallery and
the National Gallery of Modern Art. Built in 1833, the Asiatic Society of Bombay is one of
the oldest public libraries in the city. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu
Sangrahalaya (formerly The Prince of Wales Museum) is a renowned museum in South
Mumbai which houses rare ancient exhibits of Indian history.
Mumbai has a zoo named Jijamata Udyaan (formerly Victoria Gardens), which also harbours
a garden. The rich literary traditions of the city have been highlighted internationally
22

by Booker Prize winners Salman Rushdie, Aravind Adiga. Marathi literature has been
modernised in the works of Mumbai-based authors such as Mohan Apte, Anant Kanekar,
and Gangadhar Gadgil, and is promoted through an annual Sahitya Akademi Award, a literary
honour bestowed by India's National Academy of Letters.
Mumbai residents celebrate both Western and Indian festivals. Diwali, Holi, Eid,
Christmas, Navratri, Good
Friday, Dussera, Moharram, Ganesh
Chaturthi, Durga
Puja and MahaShivratri are some of the popular festivals in the city. The Kala Ghoda Arts
Festival is an exhibition of a world of arts that encapsulates works of artists in the fields of
music, dance, theatre, and films. A week-long annual fair known as Bandra Fair, starting on
the following Sunday after 8 September, is celebrated by people of all faiths, to
commemorate the Nativity of Mary, mother of Jesus, on 8 September.
The Banganga Festival is a two-day music festival, held annually in the month of January,
which is organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) at the
historic Banganga Tank in Mumbai. The Elephanta Festivalcelebrated every February on
the Elephanta Islandsis dedicated to classical Indian dance and music and attracts
performers from across the country. Public holidays specific to the city and the state
include Maharashtra Day on 1 May, to celebrate the formation of Maharashtra state on 1 May
1960, and GudiPadwa which is the New Year's Day for Marathi people.
Beaches are a major tourist attraction in the city. The major beaches in Mumbai are Girgaum
Chowpatty, Juhu Beach, Dadar Chowpatty, Gorai Beach, Marve Beach, Versova Beach,
Madh Beach, Aksa Beach, and Manori Beach. Most of the beaches are unfit for swimming,
except Girgaum Chowpatty and Juhu Beach. Essel World is a theme park and amusement
centre situated close to Gorai Beach, and includes Asia's largest theme water park, Water
Kingdom. Adlabs Imagica opened in April 2013 is located near the city of Khopoli off
the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

23

Chapter2-Research Methodology

Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study.
It comprises the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a
branch of knowledge. Typically, it encompasses concepts such as paradigm, theoretical
model, phases and quantitative or qualitative techniques.
A methodology does not set out to provide solutions - it is, therefore, not the same as a
method. Instead, a methodology offers the theoretical underpinning for understanding which
method, set of methods, or so-called best practices can be applied to specific case, for
example, to calculating a specific result.
It has been defined also as follows:
1. "the analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a
discipline";
2. "the systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within a
discipline";
3. "the study or description of methods"
4. The methodology is the general research strategy that outlines the way in which
research is to be undertaken and, among other things, identifies the methods to be
used in it. These methods, described in the methodology, define the means or modes
of

data

collection

or,

sometimes,

how

specific

result

is

to

be

calculated. Methodology does not define specific methods, even though much
attention is given to the nature and kinds of processes to be followed in a particular
procedure or to attain an objective.
5. When proper to a study of methodology, such processes constitute a constructive
generic framework, and may therefore be broken down into sub-processes, combined,
or their sequence changed.
24

6. A paradigm is similar to a methodology in that it is also a constructive framework. In

theoretical work, the development of paradigms satisfies most or all of the criteria for
methodology. An algorithm, like a paradigm, is also a type of constructive framework,
meaning that the construction is a logical, rather than a physical, array of connected
elements.
7. Any description of a means of calculation of a specific result is always a description
of a method and never a description of a methodology. It is thus important to avoid
using methodology as a synonym for method orbody of methods. Doing this shifts it
away from its true epistemological meaning and reduces it to being the procedure
itself, or the set of tools, or the instruments that should have been its outcome. A
methodology is the design process for carrying out research or the development of a
procedure and is not in itself an instrument, or method, or procedure for doing things.

TYPE OF RESEARCH DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Descriptive research is used to describe characteristics of a population or phenomenon being

studied. It does not answer questions about how/when/why the characteristics occurred.
Rather it addresses the "what" question (what are the characteristics of the population or
situation being studied?) The characteristics used to describe the situation or population are
usually some kind of categorical scheme also known as descriptive categories. For example,
the periodic table categorizes the elements. Scientists use knowledge about the nature of
electrons, protons and neutrons to devise this categorical scheme. We now take for granted
the periodic table, yet it took descriptive research to devise it. Descriptive research generally
precedes explanatory research. For example, over time the periodic tables description of the
elements allowed scientists to explain chemical reaction and make sound prediction when
elements were combined.
Hence, descriptive research cannot describe what caused a situation. Thus, descriptive
research cannot be used to as the basis of a causal relationship, where one variable affects
another. In other words, descriptive research can be said to have a low requirement
for internal validity.

25

The description is used for frequencies, averages and other statistical calculations. Often the
best approach, prior to writing descriptive research, is to conduct a survey
investigation. Qualitative research often has the aim of description and researchers may
follow-up with examinations of why the observations exist and what the implications of the
findings are.
Social science research
In addition, the conceptualizing of descriptive research (categorization or
taxonomy) precedes the hypotheses of explanatory research. For a
discussion of how the underlying conceptualization of Exploratory
research, Descriptive research and explanatory research fit together
see Conceptual framework. Descriptive research is also known as
Statistical Research. The main goal of this type of research is to describe
the data and characteristics about what is being studied. The idea behind
this type of research is to study frequencies, averages, and other
statistical calculations. Although this research is highly accurate, it does
not gather the causes behind a situation. Descriptive research is mainly
done when a researcher wants to gain a better understanding of a topic.
That is, analysis of the past as opposed to the future. Descriptive research
is the exploration of the existing certain phenomena. The details of the
facts won't be known. The existing phenomenas facts are not known to
the persons.

OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH
TO STUDY THE MAIN CAUSES FOR THE EXISTING LIFE EXPECTANCY IN
MUMBAI.

DATA SOURCES
PRIMARY DATA

The

term

primary

research

is

widely

used

in academic

research, market

research and competitive intelligence.

There are advantages and disadvantages to primary research.
26

Advantages:

Researcher can focus on both qualitative and quantitative issues.

Addresses specific research issues as the researcher controls the search design to fit
their needs

Great control; not only does primary research enable the marketer to focus on specific
subjects, it also enables the researcher to have a higher control over how the information
is collected. Taking this into account, the researcher can decide on such requirements as
size of project, time frame and goal.

Disadvantages:

Compared to secondary research, primary data may be very expensive in preparing

and carrying out the research. Costs can be incurred in producing the paper for
questionnaires or the equipment for an experiment of some sort.

In order to be done properly, primary data collection requires the development and
execution of a research plan. It takes longer to undertake primary research than to acquire
secondary data.

Some research projects, while potentially offering information that could prove quite
valuable, may not be within the reach of a researcher.

By the time the research is complete it may be out of date.

Low response rate has to be expected.

An example of primary research in opinion research: the government wants to know if people
are pleased with how the government is being run, so they hand out questionnaires to the
public asking if they are happy and, if not, how to improve.
An example of primary research in the physical sciences: Can the transition temperature
of high-temperature superconductors be increased by varying the composition of the
superconducting material. The scientist will modify the composition of the high-T c material
in various ways and measure the transition temperature of the new material as a function of
its composition.

27

All research, whether primary or secondary, depends eventually on the collection of primary
research data.

SAMPLE SIZE

SAMPLE SIZE IS 35.

QUESTIONARE WAS DISTRIBUTED AMONG 35 PEOPLE AND WE CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION

LIMITATIONS
1. Is argued to be inadequate to understand some forms of information - i.e. changes of
emotions, behaviour, feelings etc.
2. Phenomenologists state that quantitative research is simply an artificial creation by the
researcher, as it is asking only a limited amount of information without explanation
3. Lacks validity
4. There is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is being
5. There is no way of telling how much thought a respondent has put in
6. The respondent may be forgetful or not thinking within the full context of the situation
7. People may read differently into each question and therefore reply based on their own
interpretation of the question - i.e. what is 'good' to someone may be 'poor' to someone
else, therefore there is a level of subjectivity that is not acknowledged
8. There is a level of researcher imposition, meaning that when developing the
questionnaire, the researcher is making their own decisions and assumptions as to what is
and is not important...therefore they may be missing something that is of importance

HYPOTHESIS

28

A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a

hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one
can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous observations that
cannot satisfactorily be explained with the available scientific theories. Even though the
words "hypothesis" and "theory" are often used synonymously, a scientific hypothesis is not
the same as a scientific theory. A working hypothesis is a provisionally accepted hypothesis
proposed for further research.
A different meaning of the term hypothesis is used in formal logic, to denote
the antecedent of a proposition; thus in the proposition "If P, then Q", P denotes the
hypothesis (or antecedent); Q can be called a consequent. P is theassumption in a
(possibly counterfactual) What If question.
The adjective hypothetical, meaning "having the nature of a hypothesis", or "being assumed
to exist as an immediate consequence of a hypothesis", can refer to any of these meanings of
the term "hypothesis"
In its ancient usage, hypothesis referred to a summary of the plot of a classical drama. The
English word hypothesis comes from the ancient Greek word hupothesis, meaning
"to put under" or "to suppose".
In Plato's Meno (86e87b), Socrates dissects virtue with a method used by
mathematicians, that of "investigating from a hypothesis." In this sense, 'hypothesis' refers to
a clever idea or to a convenient mathematical approach that simplifies
cumbersome calculations. Cardinal Bellarmine gave a famous example of this usage in the
warning issued toGalileo in the early 17th century: that he must not treat the motion of the
Earth as a reality, but merely as a hypothesis.
In common usage in the 21st century, a hypothesis refers to a provisional idea whose merit
requires evaluation. For proper evaluation, the framer of a hypothesis needs to define
specifics in operational terms. A hypothesis requires more work by the researcher in order to
either confirm or disprove it. In due course, a confirmed hypothesis may become part of a
theory or occasionally may grow to become a theory itself. Normally, scientific hypotheses
have the form of a mathematical model. Sometimes, but not always, one can also formulate
them as existential statements, stating that some particular instance of the phenomenon under
examination has some characteristic and causal explanations, which have the general form
of universal statements, stating that every instance of the phenomenon has a particular
characteristic.
In Entrepreneurial science, a hypothesis is used to formulate provisional ideas within a
business setting. The formulated hypothesis is then evaluated where either the hypothesis is
proven to be "true" or "false" through a verifiability- or falsifiability-oriented Experiment.
29

Any useful hypothesis will enable predictions by reasoning (including deductive reasoning).
It might predict the outcome of an experiment in a laboratory setting or the observation of a
phenomenon in nature. The prediction may also invoke statistics and only talk about
probabilities. Karl Popper, following others, has argued that a hypothesis must befalsifiable,
and that one cannot regard a proposition or theory as scientific if it does not admit the
possibility of being shown false. Other philosophers of science have rejected the criterion of
falsifiability or supplemented it with other criteria, such as verifiability (e.g., verificationism)
or coherence (e.g., confirmation holism). The scientific method involves experimentation, to
test the ability of some hypothesis to adequately answer the question under investigation. In
contrast, unfettered observation is not as likely to raise unexplained issues or open questions
in science, as would the formulation of a crucial experiment to test the hypothesis. A thought
experiment might also be used to test the hypothesis as well.
In framing a hypothesis, the investigator must not currently know the outcome of a test or
that it remains reasonably under continuing investigation. Only in such cases does the
experiment, test or study potentially increase the probability of showing the truth of a
hypothesis.[11]:pp17,4950 If the researcher already knows the outcome, it counts as a
"consequence" and the researcher should have already considered this while formulating
the hypothesis. If one cannot assess the predictions by observation or by experience, the
hypothesis needs to be tested by others providing observations. For example, a new
technology or theory might make the necessary experiments feasible.

Hypothesis for life expectancy in mumbai

Life expectancy of Mumbai is better then other cities.

30

QUESTIONNAIRE

Gender:

Female
Male

I live in urban area with over 2 million people

Yes
No

One of my grandparents lived to age 85 or over

Yes
No

All four grandparents lived to age 80 or over

Yes
No

A parent died of a stroke or heart attack before 50

Yes
No

A parent, brother or sister under age 50 has (or had) Yes

cancer or a heart condition, or has diabetes
No
I personally earn over $60,000 a year

Yes
No

I finished college

Yes
No

I have a graduate or professional degree

Yes
No

I am still working

Yes
No

I live with a spouse or friend

Yes
No

Number of 10-year periods I have lived alone since age

25
I work behind a desk

Yes
No

My work requires heavy physical labor

Yes
No

5x/wk
I exercise strenuously (tennis, running, etc.) at least 1/2
3x/wk
hour ...
0x/wk
I sleep more than 10 hours each night

Yes
No
31

I am intense, aggressive and/or easily angered

Yes
No

I am easy-going and relaxed

Yes
No

I am generally ...

Happy
Unhappy
In between

I have had a speeding ticket in the last year

Yes
No

Number of packs of cigarettes I smoke per day

2+
1-2
1/2-1
0

I drink the equivalent of two drinks of hard liquor a day

Yes
No

Number of pounds I am overweight by

50+
30-50
10-30
< 10

I see a gynaecologist once a year

Yes
No

32

Chapter 3
ANALYSIS
Living life on the edge, scrambling for a toehold on trains, snaking one's
way through traffic snarls, fighting to find a roof over one's head all
combine to make Mumbai the city that never sleeps and Mumbaikars
the people who die younger than the rest of the country.
A study has found that the average Mumbaikar is likely to die at least
seven years before other Indians and about 12 years before people living
in
the
rest
of
Maharashtra.
Despite economic growth and availability of good health facilities in the
city, which normally lead to an increase in life expectancy in societies
across the world, Mumbaikars on an average live to the age of 56.8 years.
Life expectancy is 52.6 years for men and 58.1 years for women. The
average all-India life expectancy figure is currently 63.7 years for both
males and females. This means the average Indian's lifespan is at least
seven
years
more
than
that
of
the
average
Mumbaikar.
These figures came up in the recently published Human Development
Report 2009 prepared by the National Resource Centre for Urban Poverty
and the All India Institute of Local Self Government, Mumbai. The report
was made with support from the United Nations Development Program,
the ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation, Government of
India
and
the
Municipal
Corporation
of
Greater
Mumbai.
Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a person is
expected to live, assuming that the current mortality trends continue. It
represents the average lifespan and reflects the overall health of the
population and the quality of life. Experts say the reason for Mumbai
faring poorly on the life expectancy parameter is because around 60% of

33

the

city's

population

lives

in

slums

in

unhygienic

conditions.

However, DrArokyaSwamy, demographer at the Indian Institute of

Population Studies (IIPS), doubts the figures which, he believes, might
have been arrived at after taking into account all deaths in the city,
including accidents and those of patients in city hospitals.
"To make it a more acceptable estimate, the methodology needs more
validation. Data should be carefully examined after collecting random
representative samples," he stated, admitting that Mumbai's life
expectancy was a matter of concern thanks to the drawbacks of the urban
lifestyle. "But it is not as bad as states like Bihar," he added.

The report, a copy of which is with TOI, states that the crude death rate (CDR) in Mumbai is
7.3 per 1,000 people, higher than the overall death rate of 5.6 for urban areas in Maharashtra.
The crude death rate denotes the ratio of the number of deaths to the total population of an
area.
Mental stress, lack of physical exercise and poor dietary habits are decreasing the average life
expectancy of Mumbaikars. This year's Human Development Report on Mumbai reveals that
maximum deaths in the city are caused by heart attacks followed by tuberculosis, cancer,
kidney failure and HIV/AIDS and that such numbers are increasing every year in 2006,
around 12,606 died in the city due to heart attacks against 2005 figure of 11,921. Around
9,490 deaths in the city in 2006 were due to TB against 8,836 TB deaths in 2005. In 2006,
cancer and kidney failure led to 6,212 and 2,190 deaths respectively.
Dr Shashank Joshi, an endocrinologist who has edited the Journal of Association of
Physicians of India in the past, said that stress, both physical and mental, is leading to an
increase in non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases that are
especially affecting the city's youth. ''Eating irregularly and eating junk food, lethargy, less
sleep and long hours of commuting worsen the problem. People don't even smile these days,''
Dr Joshi points out.
According to Rakesh Kumar of National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute
(NEERI), contamination of air, water and food is leading to increased morbidity in the
community, thus affecting the life expectancy in the city.

Ignorance among city dwellers is also of concern. As the report highlights,

''Tuberculosis, widely known as the poor man's disease, also has a very

34

high rate of infection mainly due to unhygienic living conditions; many

spread it unwittingly without knowing that spitting is a common cause.''

Chapter 4 Recommendations
From the above research we can conclude that in the case of Mumbai the life expectancy at
birth during the period 1990 to 2013 had increased for both men and women.
In the case of men, the increase in life expectancy was from 57.3 to 64.2 years and in the case
of women, it was from 58.2 to 68.5 years between 1990 and 2013. The reduction in death rate
was seen both in adults and children. Though the death rate per year witnessed a drop both in
adults and children, it was more in the case of children than adults. At 3.7 per cent, the death
rate reduction per year in children was much more than that of adults, which was at 1.3 per
cent.
According to the report, ischemic heart disease was the number one cause of death in
Munbai in 2013. The other leading causes (in descending order) were lower respiratory track
infections, tuberculosis, neonatal encephalitis, preterm birth complications, diarrhoea, stroke,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suicide, and finally road injuries.
COPD is caused due to lung damage. Smoking is one of the causes of COPD. But in the
case of women in Mumbai , COPD is more due to indoor pollution than smoking. Even TB
could be an important cause, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Director of the Chennai-based
National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) told this Correspondent. While TB is
the number three cause, diarrhoea is way down at the sixth position. Referring to this, Dr.
Swaminathan said: That shows that interventions for diarrhoea have really worked and
reduced the number of deaths, while in the case of TB the interventions have been less
effective in reducing deaths. This is despite RNTCP being effective and bringing about 20 per
cent reduction in TB deaths in India.Across the world, deaths from diarrhoeal diseases
between 2000 and 2013 fell by about 31 per cent.
Though there has been much reduction in the number of deaths in under-five children across
the world and in India, lower respiratory track infections and diarrhoea are two of the three
causes seen in India. But other causes like neonatal encephalitis and preterm birth
complications that affect children continue to be major causes of death in India. Globally,
neonatal deaths fell significantly since 2000.
Half of all suicide deaths that occur in the world are in India and China. Suicide is a major
and growing public health problem in India, notes a release. What is of great concern is that
though India and China account for half of global suicide deaths, the number of suicides was
reducing rapidly in China while it was rising in India during the period 1990-2013. Both
countries have undergone economic growth and urbanisation, a key factor in limiting access
to lethal pesticides, a common method of suicide by poisoning in both countries. Therefore,
35

as yet unexplained reasons must exist for the divergence between the two countries, the
paper notes.
What becomes abundantly clear is that ischemic heart disease is the only lifestyle disease in
the top ten causes of deaths in India. This is in complete variance with what is seen in the
developed countries.
Statistics released by the Union ministry of health and family welfare show that life
expectancy in India has gone up by five years, from 62.3 years for males and 63.9 years for
females in 2001-2005 to 67.3 years and 69.6 years respectively in 2011-2015. Experts
attribute this jump higher than that in the previous decade to better immunization and
nutrition, coupled with prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
The World Health Organization defines life expectancy as "the average number of years a
person is expected to live on the basis of the current mortality rates and prevalence
distribution of health states in a population". In India, average life expectancy which used to
be around 42 in 1960, steadily climbed to around 48 in 1980, 58.5 in 1990 and around 62s in
2000.
The overall health indicators have also shown significant improvement across the country in
the past 10 years. Infant mortality ratio has come down to 42 in 2012 from 58 per 1,000 live
births in the 2005. "Maternal mortality ratio has declined from 301 per 100,000 live births in
2001-03
to
212
in
2007-09,"
the
health
ministry
said.
A steady supply of food is the prime reason for increased life expectancy, says Dr George
Thomas, editor of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics. Since the time of Independence,
famine has reduced dramatically in our country and people have a decent supply of nutrition.
However, the real challenge lies in taking the numbers beyond this."

36

37

Disease control

Thomas pointed out that increasing life expectancy beyond 70 years would depend on
environmental factors. "Supply of clean drinking water and better control of noncommunicable diseases would play a major role. However, India is still grappling with
communicable diseases," he said.
Dr S Balasubramanian, joint director of Tamil Nadu public health, said the increase shows
health policies are in the right direction. "Earlier, people had more children, and the chances
of all the kids getting a balanced diet were low. Family planning has helped. Childhood
vaccination has checked epidemics and saved lives," he said. Life-threatening diseases like
diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough have been eliminated completely. "India has also
been recently declared a polio free nation, which is an added feather to the cap," he said.
Some experts still advocate caution. "With increased life expectancy, the disease burden
would increase," said geriatrician Dr B Krishnaswamy. "Yes, we will live longer, but the big
question is how healthy our lives would be," he said.
A Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 published today (December 18) in the journal The
Lancetpoints out that in the case of India, the life expectancy at birth during the period 1990
to 2013 had increased for both men and women.
In the case of men, the increase in life expectancy was from 57.3 to 64.2 years and in the case
of women, it was from 58.2 to 68.5 years between 1990 and 2013. The reduction in death rate
was seen both in adults and children. Though the death rate per year witnessed a drop both in
adults and children, it was more in the case of children than adults. At 3.7 per cent, the death
rate reduction per year in children was much more than that of adults, which was at 1.3 per
cent.
According to the report, ischemic heart disease was the number one cause of death in India in
2013. The other leading causes (in descending order) were lower respiratory track infections,
tuberculosis, neonatal encephalitis, preterm birth complications, diarrhoea, stroke, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suicide, and finally road injuries.
COPD is caused due to lung damage. Smoking is one of the causes of COPD. But in the
case of women in India, COPD is more due to indoor pollution than smoking. Even TB could
be an important cause, Dr.SoumyaSwaminathan, Director of the Chennai-based National
Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) told this Correspondent. While TB is the
number three cause, diarrhoea is way down at the sixth position. Referring to this,
Dr.Swaminathan said: That shows that interventions for diarrhoea have really worked and
reduced the number of deaths, while in the case of TB the interventions have been less
effective in reducing deaths. This is despite RNTCP being effective and bringing about 20 per
cent reduction in TB deaths in India.Across the world, deaths from diarrhoeal diseases
between 2000 and 2013 fell by about 31 per cent.
Though there has been much reduction in the number of deaths in under-five children across
the world and in India, lower respiratory track infections and diarrhoea are two of the three
38

causes seen in India. But other causes like neonatal encephalitis and preterm birth
complications that affect children continue to be major causes of death in India. Globally,
neonatal deaths fell significantly since 2000.
Half of all suicide deaths that occur in the world are in India and China. Suicide is a major
and growing public health problem in India, notes a release. What is of great concern is that
though India and China account for half of global suicide deaths, the number of suicides was
reducing rapidly in China while it was rising in India during the period 1990-2013. Both
countries have undergone economic growth and urbanisation, a key factor in limiting access
to lethal pesticides, a common method of suicide by poisoning in both countries. Therefore,
as yet unexplained reasons must exist for the divergence between the two countries, the
paper notes.
What becomes abundantly clear is that ischemic heart disease is the only lifestyle disease in
the top ten causes of deaths in India. This is in complete variance with what is seen in the
developed countries.

SO THE QUESTION IS :-

MUMBAI THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS OR THE CITY

THAT SLEEPS EARLY??

39

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mumbaikars-die-younger-thanother-Indians-Study/articleshow/5190726.cms
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN COMMERCE BY MICHAEL VAZ
WWW.WIKIPIDEA.COM
WWW.GOOGLE.COM

40