World Population Day on July 11 was invented by none other than a Keralite KC Zachariah, who waked into his twilight zone of 100 in the shadow of India becoming the world’s largest populated country with 1500 m people. He always spoke of the demographic dividend and the burgeoning people as a boon rather than a burden. 

It is a sad day for all demographers in the world, said KS James, Director of Mumbai’s International Institute of Population Studies, who did his research under him at the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram for his PhD from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.The topic was ‘Demographic Response to Economic Crisis: a Study of Syrian Catholics in a Historical Perspective’.   

KC Zachariah  the first demographer of India with wife Rachel and granddtr

As defined by the United Nations Population Fund, Demographic dividend is "the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population is larger than the non-working-age share of the population".

It was the DRTC--Demographic Research and Training Centre in Bombay where Zachariah joined as India’s first demographer that grew to become India’s prestigious IIPS with national and international status. Its director KS James from Pala has had his post doctoral studies at a host of institutions including the Harvard Centre for Population and Development Studies and London’s LSE.    

With Director and chair Irudaya Rajan at his left at IIMAD he founded in 2019.

‘I am very sad about the passing away of Zachariah, who was an Honorary Fellow of the Centre who has served on our Governing Body as a member,’ said Sunil Mani, director of Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram.  ‘Professors Zachariah and Irudaya Rajan are responsible for developing systematic surveys and research on international migration from Kerala. 

‘He was associated with all the Kerala Migration Surveys that CDS conducted from 1998 through 2018. A taciturn and unassuming man, age was not a hindrance to him as he continued to research international migration issues to the very end. Colleagues at CDS are planning a 2023 version of the Kerala Migration Survey, which will be a tribute to this pioneering demographer.’ 

 Son Cherian and wife Rachel along with parents 

KC Zacharia, who earned his PhD in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania to serve the United Nations as a demographer was once asked by the UN superiors to suggest a day for the observance of the World Population Day. “July 11 when the world population reached 5000 m,” was his ready answer and it stuck. 

KCZ has had six decades of research experience on demography, migration and development. When India was poised to overtake China as the most populous nation in the world (1500 m) he was asked to comment on the brown man’s burden as India was also on the brink of taking over the leadership of G 20 Nations whose summit is scheduled for September 19 and 20 in New Delhi. 

KS James Director of Bombay’s IIPS who did his doctoral research under KCZ

According to the latest reckoning of China’s Bureau of Statistics issued on January 17, 2023 it had a a population of 1411.18 m in 201, less than 8.5 lacs than the previous year. The fall occurred for the first time since 1961. Even of the If the trend continued, India was certain to command the first place a little later. 

Belying all expectations and claims, China’s economic growth also has plummeted to an alarming 3 percent in 2022. This is the second lowest growth rate in the last 48 years according to Bloomberg. China, the second largest economy in the world,  had attained a growth rate  of 8.4 percent in 2021, a rise from the lowest of 2.3 in 1974. 

Wedding time for Zacharia and Rachel

“Contrary to the general perception that spike in population is a matter of grave concern, it’s nothing to tear your hair out about” KCZ told a journalist in Thiruvananthapuram.  ‘Population is not a curse but actually a blessing for countries like India. Sharp decline in population is dangerous for any country. China is paying the price for its ‘one child’ family norm.

“China was killing themselves. On the other hand, India somehow escaped as the Government was lenient about family planning norms. Thus the country was in an advantageous position to provide manpower to the whole world. However, there is a demographic imbalance caused by certain sections of society and it was important that the people should be educated about it.’ 

In Washington with Prez Harry S. Truman and World Bank prez Robert McNamara

Born Kunniparambil Curian Zacharia on September 17 1924  to a farming family of Niranam, he earned his B.Sc Physics in  First Class from the University of  Travancore in 1946 and his MSc Statistics, from the same University with First Class First rank in 1948. He obtained his s PhD in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1962. 

Zachariah started as Lecturer in Statistics, Guwahati University 1949-50, moved to Patna University during 1950-56. Joined the DTRC-Demographic Teaching and Research Centre in Bombay, the forerunner of the International Institute of Population Sciences, as Deputy Director in 1956 and continued there for a decade.  

At daughter Laila and hus Cdr Jei’s tharavad Elanjikal on River Pampa
 
KCZ was United Nations Expert in Demography in Cairo for 1966-70, Senior Demographer, World Bank, Washington DC during1971-1989. Became Honorary Professor, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram in 1989 and  
Became the Founder President of the International Institute for Migration and Development in 2019.

Among those who collaborated with KCZ for the study of Kerala’ migration to West Asia are professors KP Kannan former director of CDS and BA Prakash, former head of Kerala University’s economics department.  

With dtr Lulu and hus Kurian Thomas and Benny who lives in KCZ’s Niranam home  

There are some twenty books, numerous studies and tracts to his credit. Among them are Internal Migration in India: 1941-51, Demographic Training and Research Centre, Bombay, 1960, Population Projections needed for Planning and Policy-making, New York: United Nations, 1960. Historical Study of Internal Migration in the Indian Subcontinent 1901-1931. Asia Society, New York, 1964.

Rachel, his wife, from Thandaneth, Pallikkal near Kayankulam, passed away in 2005. Son Cherian Zacharia is an IT professional in Seattle. Wife Rachel is doing child care. Daughter Laila Sarah is the wife of Cdr Jei Chacko (Rtd), son of the late Minister Elanjikal E. John Jacob. The other daughter Lulu Susy is married to enginner turned businessman Kurian Thomas Poozhikalayail, Tiruvalla. 

 ‘He bridged the Gulf” lauds T. Ramavarman of the Times

With a die-hard spirit Prof. KC Zacharia was a workaholic throughout his life. He breathed his last on the midnight of January 17 and was laid to rest at the family crypt of St Thomas Marthoma Church Niranam in Pathanamthitta district. 

Two of KCZ’s twenty books, authored, co-authored and edited 
# India's first demographer