Bookmark: It's youth vs the rich now

New Delhi: There is an abundance of youth in the developing world even as the developed countries are graying at a fast pace.

The new young world will take control of the old order, whose developed economy ironically will lack internal manpower to run it!

No, this is not one of Nostradamus' prophecies that people dread may just come true.

This is the theory put forth by Dr Anil Bagchi in his recently published book, The Ageing World.

"For the first time in history, the stronger and richer countries are feeling threatened due to the lack of youth in their countries," says the author, whose own sons have married American women and have settled in the US.

He furthur elaborates on his theory saying that the developed world's population stands at 25 per cent of the world population and it is predicted to come down to 10 per cent by 2050.

"Europe must allow heavy immigration if it is to survive – Muslims, Arabs and Africans are going to enter the continent and bring about a huge ethnic change. Though Europeans don't like it, they will have no choice," he adds.

The Ageing World talks about the 'grey dynamics' of the world, that has been set in motion due to large scale globalisation - the trend of effective birth control and a decreasing rate of growth of population in developed countries, which is now catching up slowly in the developing world too.

Bagchi comes up with various interesting interpretations of these dynamics.

According to him, due to cultural biases and tradition, the developing world will have a surplus of men vis a vis a surplus of women in the developed world. As a result, these men will become the prospective bridegrooms for ladies of the West!

Another concept the book explores is the increasing span of 'grey' life that’s an outcome of increasing life expectancy throughout the globe.

"My dad, to whom my book is dedicated, died at the age of 44. In those days, life expectancy was low whereas today, people easily live to be ninety or more. And that results in living lonely lives in empty homes for 20-30 years," says Bagchi who received international recognition through his published work when he was in the faculty of Roorkee University.

Bagchi’s book takes inspiration from Nobel laureate physicist Erwin Schrodinger’s theory, 'Life is a fight against degeneration and fought with information'.

Seventy-three-year-old Bagchi says that he is as young as he thinks himself to be. He doesn't believe in depending on children or living on life savings.

"I don't believe in the concept of old age homes. The old have a long life to live, and the young will not be able to handle the burden. Traditionally, older people are expected to die when they reach a certain age, but this is not happening because of better quality of life. So it is up these old people to take care of themselves. To live a good life, they must work and maintain their self esteem," says he.

Bagchi's personal life is full of examples of what he preaches. His wife, Jayanti, is an active social worker who runs a school for underprivileged children in Gurgaon.

And Bagchi himself earns his living by investing in shares and writing books.

"Older people like me don't live a compulsive life like the young who are bound by their duties to marry, reproduce and look after their families. At this stage, I am free to do whatever I choose; besides technology is pretty age friendly these days," he smiles.