In 2022, 22.6% of the national income went to the top 1% of Indians. Cut to 1951, their share in the income was only 11.5% and even lower in the 1980s — just before India opened up its economy — at 6%.
The share of the top 10% of Indians too had increased — from 36.7% of national income in 1951 to 57.7% in 2022.
On the other hand, the bottom 50% of Indians earned only 15% of the national income in 2022, compared with 20.6% in 1951. The middle 40% of Indians also recorded a sharp fall in their share of income from 42.8% to 27.3% in the period.
