Statistics is the science of collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data. In the modern world of computers and information technology, the importance of statistics is very well recognized by all the disciplines. Statistics has originated as a science of statehood and found applications slowly and steadily in Agriculture, Economics, Commerce, Biology, Medicine, Industry, planning, education and so on. As on date there is no other human walk of life, where statistics cannot be applied. The word ‘ Statistics’ and ‘ Statistical’ are all derived from the Latin word Status, means a political state. The theory of statistics as a distinct branch of scientific method is of comparatively recent growth. Research particularly into the mathematical theory of statistics is rapidly proceeding and fresh discoveries are being made all over the world. Statistics is concerned with scientific methods for collecting, organising, summarising, presenting and analysing data as well as deriving valid conclusions and making reasonable decisions on the basis of this analysis. Statistics is concerned with the systematic collection of numerical data and its interpretation. The word ‘ statistic’ is used to refer to Numerical facts, such as the number of people living in particular area. Statistics is defined differently by different authors over a period of time. In the olden days statistics was confined to only state affairs but in modern days it embraces almost every sphere of human activity. Therefore a number of old definitions, which was confined to narrow field of enquiry were replaced by more definitions, which are much more comprehensive and exhaustive. Secondly, statistics has been defined in two different ways – Statistical data and statistical methods. Statistics are the classified facts representing the conditions of people in a state. In particular they are the facts, which can be stated in numbers or in tables of numbers or in any tabular or classified arrangement. The history of Statistics can be firstly traced back to the 1600’s and John Graunt (1620-1674) could be considered as the pioneer of statistics and as the author of the first book regarding statistics. He published Natural and Political observations on the Bills of Mortality in 1662 whereby he was studying the plague outbreak in London at the time requested by the King. Graunt was asked to come up with a system that would allow them to detect threats of further outbreaks, by keeping records of mortality and causes of death and making an estimation of the population. Graunt by forming the life table, discovered that ‘statistically’, the ratio of male to females are almost equal. Then in 1666, he collected data and started to examine life expectancies. All of this was fundamental as he was arguably the first to create a condensed life table from large data and was able to do some analysis on it. This is widely used in life insurance today, showing the importance and significance of Graunt’s work (Stigler, 1986, Verduin, 2009). In 1693, Edmond Halley extended Graunt’s thoughts and formed the first mortality table that statistically made the relationship between age and death rates. Abraham De Moivre (1667-1823) is another contributor who was the first person to identify the properties of the normal curve and in 1711, introduced the notion of statistical independence (Verduin, 2009). De Moivre in 1724, studied mortality statistics and laid down foundations of the theory of annuities, widely used in the Finance industry today, motivated by the work of Halley. De Moivre then gave idea of the normal distribution which can be used to approximate the binomial distribution (O’Connor and Robertson, 2004). William Playfair (1759-1823) was the person who invented statistical graphics, we believed that charts were a better way to represent data, which included the line graph and the bar graph chart in 1786 and the pie chart in 1801. This was a milestone as these graphical representations are used everywhere today, the most notable being the time-series graph, which is a graph containing many data points measured at successive uniform intervals over a period of time. These graphs could be used to predict future data (Robyn 1978). The application of Statistical methods to Social Sciences was discussed by Adolphe Quetlet (1796-1874) in 1835. He was interested in studying about human characteristics and suggested that the law of errors, which are commonly used in Astronomy, could be applied when studying people and through this, assumptions or predictions could be in regards to physical features and intellectual features of a person. Through Quetlet’s studies, he discovered that the distribution of certain characteristics when he made a diagram of it was in a shape of a bell curve. He is also well known for the coming up with a formula called the Quetlet Index, or more commonly known as Body Mass Index, which is an indication or measure for obesity. Other members who made little but significance contributions to Statistics are Carl Gauss and Florence Nightingale. Gauss was the first person who played around with the least squares estimation method when he was interested in astronomy and attempted to predict the position of a planet. He later proved this method by assuming the errors are normally distributed. Nightingale, first female to be a member of the Royal Statistical Society was inspired by Quetlet’s work on statistical graphics and produced a chart detailing the deaths of soldiers where she worked. She later went on to analyse that state and care of medical facilities in India. This was significant as Nightingale applied statistics to health problems and this led to the improvement of medical healthcare. The other greatest contributors was Francis Galton (1822-1911) who helped create a statistical revolution which laid foundations for future statisticians like Karl Pearson and Charles Spearman (Stigler, 1986). He came up with a number of vital concepts, including the regression, standard deviation and correlation, which came about when Galton was studying sweet peas. He discovered that the successive sweet peas were of different sizes but regressed towards the mean size and the distribution of their parents (Gavan Tredoux, 2007). He later went on to work with the idea of correlation when he was studying the heights of parents and the parent’s children when they reach adulthood, where he made a diagram of his findings and found an obvious correlation between the two.
“The 19th Statistics Day was observed on June 29, 2025, emphasizing the critical role of data in shaping policy decisions, social programs, and economic strategies. The theme “data is the new oil” highlights the importance of reliable data in fostering transparency, innovation, and youth engagement, which are essential for inclusive and sustainable national development in India. In Jammu and Kashmir, several esteemed statisticians, including Prof. Rahul Gupta, Prof. Joorel, and others, contribute significantly to both academic and governmental institutions. To commemorate this day, SKUAST-Kashmir is hosting a national conference dedicated to honoring the contributions of PC Mahalanobis and raising awareness about the significance of statistics in the modern world.”
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool, but it’s not a replacement for human expertise. So, to those asking if AI will replace statisticians, the answer is: not anytime soon. We know Statistical methods enable AI systems to detect patterns, identify relationships, and infer conclusions from data. In India the first National Statistics Day was celebrated in 2007, following a Gazette notification on 5th June 2007, which declared 29th June—the birth anniversary of PC Mahalanobis—as Statistics Day. It was categorised as a Special Day of National Importance to raise awareness about the significance of statistics in nation-building. The decision to dedicate a day to statistics stemmed from the invaluable role that statistical research plays in formulating effective government policies, monitoring socio-economic indicators, and measuring national progress. Why Is National Statistics Day 2025 Celebrated?The special reason for celebrating National Statistics Day in India is to pay tribute to the statistical genius PC Mahalanobis, who not only founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1931 but also revolutionised economic planning in India. He was instrumental in introducing statistical methods for efficient data collection and analysis, especially in agricultural and population studies.On the other hand, it aims to create public awareness, especially among the youth, about the relevance of statistics in everyday life and their role in driving national development.The National Statistics Day 2025 Theme is a central highlight of the annual celebration, aimed at drawing attention to a critical area where statistics can drive impactful change. The official theme for 2025 is yet to be announced by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), it is expected to align with the nation’s growing focus on data-driven decision-making, sustainability, and technological integration. The great Indian statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis Mahalanobis popularly known as Father of Indian Statistics was Born on June 29, 1893, in Kolkata. He was a visionary whose work shaped modern statistics in India. His creation, the Mahalanobis distance, is still widely used in multivariate analysis and pattern recognition. The key Contributions of P.C. Mahalanobis were (i) Mahalanobis Distance: A statistical measure used in multivariate analysis and pattern recognition. (ii) The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) was founded in 1931. (iii) Designing India’s Second Five-Year Plan, emphasising industrial growth using statistical models. He served as the first Planning Commission of India.His work laid the foundation for the modern statistical system in India, enabling data-based policymaking and the institutionalisation of national surveys and statistical standards. In India, each year, National Statistics Day is celebrated on 29th June across various levels—national, state, academic, and research institutions. The celebrations typically include :(a) Seminars and Workshops: Held on contemporary issues related to the year’s theme and statistical development. (b) Lectures by Experts: Delivered by renowned statisticians and economists to highlight data’s impact on policy. (c )Quizzes, Debates, and Essay Competitions: Organised for students to foster interest in statistics. (d) Release of Reports and Publications: Including annual statistical bulletins and data portals. (e ) Recognition of Statistical Contributions: Awards are given to professionals and students excelling in the field.A notable development is the launch of the e-Sankhyiki portal and Central Data Repository, platforms designed to enhance transparency and accessibility of statistical data in India.The importance of National Statistics Day 2025 lies in its role in spreading awareness about: (i) The need for a reliable statistical infrastructure for national planning. (ii) The relevance of statistics in diverse sectors, including health, education, environment, and governance. (iii) Encouraging a culture of data-based decision-making. (iv) Inspiring the next generation of statisticians and data scientists to contribute to India’s development. (v) National Statistics Day 2025 also serves as an opportunity to review and refine the methodologies used in the collection, processing, and dissemination of data by official agencies.Since its inception in 2007, National Statistics Day has become a cornerstone in promoting statistical literacy and evidence-based governance in India. From launching key data repositories to honouring statistical pioneers, each year’s celebration reaffirms India’s commitment to scientific planning and transparent policymaking.With initiatives like Digital India, the role of statistics has become even more critical in handling big data, AI integration, and digital governance, making this observance more relevant than ever. In brief, National Statistics Day stands as a tribute to the visionary contributions of PC Mahalanobis and serves as a national platform to emphasize the vital role of statistics in shaping modern India. As the 19th Statistics Day was observed on 29th June 2025, it continues to remind us that “data is the new oil,” powering policy decisions, social programs, and economic strategies.By engaging the youth, fostering innovation, and promoting transparency through reliable data, National Statistics Day in India contributes meaningfully to inclusive, informed, and sustainable national development. In J&K we have some renowned statisticians who are working in academic and government institutions e.g., Prof Rahul Gupta, Prof. Joorel, Prof. Parmil, Prof Manish, Prof. Anwar, Prof. Shakeel, Prof. Bilal, Mr. Altaf H. Haji, Prof. Aijaz, Prof. Romesh and many more. In SKUAST-Kashmir, J&K we are celebrating this day by organising one day national conference to honour PC Mahalanobis and create awareness among the people on the role of statistics in modern world.
(The author is Professor & Head (Agri. Econ & Statistics, FOA at S K University Of Agriculture Sciences & Technology Kashmir SKUAST-K, Srinagar, J&K. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Dr. Bial A Bhat
[email protected]
