Widowhood, divorce, and women's health: What South India's numbers reveal

Key points

• A new government report has revealed a striking demographic trend in India: women in South India are far more likely to be widowed, divorced or separated than women in most other parts of the country.
• According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2024, all five southern States — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana- recorded a higher share of women living without a spouse than the national average.
• The trend stands out because no other region in India shows such a consistent pattern across all major States.
• At the national level, 5.4 per cent of women were classified as widowed, divorced or separated.
• However, the figures in the southern States were considerably higher.