India isn’t ageing yet. We are still a young country, with more than half our population under 25, and about 65 per cent under 35. But some of our states are ageing — and Kerala leads the way.

The tempo of population ageing in Kerala is no longer a distant demographic forecast; it is a profound and immediate transformation of the state’s social fabric. By the end of 2026, the proportion of citizens aged 60 and above is projected to hit 20 per cent, a figure that dwarfs the national average of 12 per cent. This shift is, ironically, a byproduct of Kerala’s historic success in healthcare and education, which led to higher life expectancies and lower fertility rates. Yet, the very infrastructure that fostered this progress is now under unprecedented strain. The current level of social and health facilities is ill-equipped to handle the specialised demands of an ageing society, particularly as financial and morbidity burdens on the elderly continue to climb. To navigate this “silver sunrise”, Kerala must move beyond reactive measures and proactively re-engineer its economy and urban landscape for a new reality. In doing so, it can set the standard for the rest of India to learn from when, inevitably, today’s 35-year-olds start turning 60 across Bharat.

Kerala stands at a unique vantage point to turn a perceived demographic burden into a global competitive advantage. For years, critics have colloquially referred to Kerala as an “old-age home” due to its high rates of youth out-migration. While we must change the reality behind this label, the state should also embrace and professionalise it, rebranding itself as a premier global hub for retirement and wellness. To transform Kerala’s demographic challenge into a sustainable economic engine, the state must implement a........

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