The Indian demographic scenario is characterized by large regional variations in population trends, uneven human development, adverse sex ratios, growing urbanization, and internal rural-to-urban migration. This handbook provides a comprehensive understanding of the population-development linkages through an engagement with human development, human rights, and gender justice perspectives. The linkages between population size, birth rates, economic well-being, environmental sustainability, and economic growth are complex. The volume uses the latest Census and National Family Health Survey data, this volume analyses a wide range of topical issues-food security, fertility, opportunities for the youth and the girl child, media and public health, and women's empowerment. Identifying past trends and future challenges, the volume calls for a more humane approach to population stabilization and endorses the popular tenet-'take care of people and the population will take care of itself'. Contributors to this volume - Srilatha Batliwala, Bangalore-based Scholar Associate, Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID); Gautam Bhan, PhD Scholar, University of California, Berkeley; C.P. Chandrasekhar, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Abhijit Das, Director, Centre for Health and Social Justice, New Delhi, and Clinical Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle; Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Executive Secretary of International Development Economics Associates; Kalyani Menon-Sen, Feminist Activist and Researcher; K. Nagaraj, Faculty, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; A.R. Nanda, former Census Commissioner and Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi; Claire Noronha, Trustee, Collaborative Research and Dissemination, New Delhi; Pradeep Panda, Deputy Director of Research, Micro Insurance Academy, New Delhi; Vikram Patel, Professor of International Mental Health and Joint Director, Centre for Global Mental Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; Radhika Ramasubban, Sociologist and Urban Environmental Activist, Mumbai; Mohan Rao, Professor, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Anamitra Roychowdhury, Research Scholar at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Preet Rustagi, Senior Fellow, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi; Meera Samson, Collaborative Research and Dissemination, New Delhi; Kalpana Sharma, Independent Journalist and Columnist, Mumbai; A. K. Shiva Kumar, Development Economist and Adviser to UNICEF India; Madhura Swaminathan, Professor, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata.; Rajani R. Ved, Advisor, National Health Systems Resource Centre, New Delhi; Leela Visaria, Honorary Professor, Gujarat Institute of Development Research, Ahmedabad.
