2018 - Prasanta Chandra Mahalonobis | Commemorative Coin

The 2nd commemorative coin of 2018 was released to mark the 125th Birth Anniversary of Prasanta Chandra Mahalonobis.

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was a pioneering Indian statistician whose work transformed the fields of statistics, planning, and economic analysis in the twentieth century. Born on 29 June 1893 in Kolkata, he demonstrated exceptional intellectual curiosity from a young age and later pursued studies at Presidency College and the University of Cambridge. His exposure to global scientific thought, combined with his deep understanding of Indian socioeconomic conditions, shaped his unique approach to statistical research.

Mahalanobis is best known as the founder of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), established in 1931, which grew into one of the world’s foremost centres for research and training in statistics. Under his leadership, the institute attracted renowned scholars and contributed significantly to the development of statistical methodology, data collection, and applied research in India. He also launched the journal Sankhya, which played a crucial role in fostering statistical discourse globally.

One of Mahalanobis’s most significant contributions is the “Mahalanobis distance,” a statistical measure that has found wide application in fields ranging from anthropology and biology to pattern recognition and machine learning. His methodological innovations helped bring scientific rigor to large-scale surveys, most notably through his pioneering work in sample surveys and the development of techniques such as pilot surveys and optimum allocation. These methods greatly strengthened India’s statistical system and were later adopted in various parts of the world.

Beyond statistics, Mahalanobis played a central role in shaping India’s economic planning after independence. As a key member of the Planning Commission, he prepared the Second Five-Year Plan, which became known as the “Mahalanobis Model.” This plan emphasized industrialisation, particularly the growth of capital goods industries, and laid the foundation for India's long-term industrial strategy. Though the model has been debated over time, its influence on the direction of India’s early economic development is undeniable.

Mahalanobis’s close association with leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru reflected his importance in the nation-building process. His scientific vision, commitment to institution-building, and innovative thinking helped modernize India’s statistical and planning frameworks during a critical phase of its history.

He received numerous honours, including the Padma Vibhushan, for his outstanding contributions to science and public policy. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis passed away on 28 June 1972, but his legacy continues through the institutions he built, the theories he developed, and the generations of statisticians and economists he inspired. His work remains a testament to the power of data, scientific inquiry, and vision in shaping a nation’s future.

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