National Conference
on
Ageing in India
Emerging Realities, Evolving Responses
Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi | 1st August, 2025
Supported by
The Emerging Reality of Ageing
India is at the cusp of a demographic transition that is both unprecedented and irreversible. The steady increase in life expectancy, combined with a declining fertility rate, is resulting in a growing proportion of elderly citizens. As per projections, by 2050, nearly 20% of the Indian population will be over the age of 60, amounting to over 347 million individuals. This demographic shift brings forth complex challenges related to healthcare, social security, caregiving, economic dependency, mental health, and infrastructure accessibility.
At the same time, this transition opens up opportunities to reimagine ageing. Older persons bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and cultural depth that can be harnessed to enrich communities and contribute to social and economic development. To realise this potential, it is essential to create systems that support ageing with dignity, security, and purpose.
India’s Population Estimates and Projections for Different Age Groups (1950–2100). Values in Thousands
Data Source: World Population Prospects, 2022, UNDESA
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About the Conference
The National Conference on Ageing in India: Emerging Realities, Evolving Responses, Organised by Sankala Foundation, is a timely and significant effort to address this urgent need. The conference is designed as a multidisciplinary platform to explore how India can respond to its ageing population with innovation, inclusivity, and compassion.
Bringing together thought leaders from government, academia, civil society, healthcare, and the private sector, the conference aims to foster a holistic understanding of ageing-related issues and highlight practical, scalable solutions.
Conference Objectives
To reframe ageing as an opportunity by highlighting the socio-economic and cultural contributions of older persons, and promoting active and healthy ageing models.
To explore innovative programmes and policies in practice across countries and states that reimagine elderly roles in society and foster
age-inclusivity.
To facilitate dialogue amongst diverse stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector, academia and civil society, to develop age-inclusive initiatives.
To showcase scalable best practices and research from India and globally that can be leveraged to drive interventions in healthcare, care economy, digital inclusion and more.
Themes of Discussion
Strengthening Elderly Welfare: Policy and Practice
- ▸ Evaluating existing frameworks like the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) and the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
- ▸ Understanding the roles of key ministries (Social Justice, Health, Finance, Rural Development).
- ▸ Addressing gaps in awareness, implementation, and coordination across sectors.
- ▸ Benchmarking Indian policy responses with global practices.
Health and Mental Wellbeing of the Elderly
- ▸ Managing chronic diseases and multimorbidity.
- ▸ Promoting mental health and emotional well-being.
- ▸ Enhancing geriatric care through integrated, affordable healthcare models.
- ▸ Training caregivers and exploring telemedicine and digital health tools.
Leveraging Ageing for Growth and Development
- ▸ Recognising older persons as active contributors through work, volunteerism, and mentorship.
- ▸ Promoting lifelong learning through initiatives like Third Age Universities.
- ▸ Encouraging intergenerational engagement to foster community and cultural continuity.
Shaping Futures: Preparing for an Ageing Society
- ▸ Developing age-friendly infrastructure and accessible public spaces.
- ▸ Creating awareness around government schemes, legal aid, and digital and financial literacy.
- ▸ Scaling up care economy services with support from public, private, and NGO sectors.
- ▸ Harnessing technology to meet the unique needs of the elderly.
Who Should Attend?
Speakers
Join Us
This conference is a step towards building an inclusive and supportive environment for India’s ageing population. Whether you are a policymaker, healthcare provider, entrepreneur, or citizen advocate, your insights and engagement are critical.
