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June 29 has been designated as one of the special days to be celebrated at the national level in recognition of Mahalonobis’ invaluable contribution in establishing the National Statistical System.

Theme

The theme of National Statistics Day 2021 is Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-2: End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture.

History

The Government of India decided to celebrate National Statistics Day on the outstanding contribution made by Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the field of economic planning and statistics and therefore National Statistics Day mark his birth anniversary. Notification to this effect was published in the Gazette of India on June 05, 2007.
About Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis

• Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis or P.C. Mahalanobis was born on 29 June, 1893, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India.
  
• He died on 28 June, 1972 in Calcutta. He was an Indian statistician.
  
• He devised the Mahalanobis distance and in the Second Five-Year Plan, he was instrumental in formulating India's strategy for industrialisation.  
  
• He established the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta on 17 December, 1931. 

Source: The Hindu