> How does over-aggressive family planning lead to massive overpopulation? Sorry, I forgot to say how. The over-aggressive family planning measures (including

> How does over-aggressive family planning lead to massive overpopulation? Sorry, I forgot to say how. The over-aggressive family planning measures (including forced sterilization in a handful of cases) during the Emergency in India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_sterilization#India http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_sterilization#India) led to Government family planning measures being widely distrusted in rural areas for the next few decades. This, combined with improved healthcare and low infant mortality, has led to roaring population growth. > Double eh?? Because India is a collection of distinct and heterogeneous states, unlike the homogeneous US, it suddenly becomes like the EU? Yes. India is much more like the EU than the US. This may put it into perspective, considering that a large number of HN readers come from the US/EU. It is an analogy, nothing more. > But people don't emigrate because they're feeling sad or happy, but because they feel they may have better career prospects. False dichotomy. People emigrate to improve happiness and quality of life. These are frequently related to better career prospects. India has pretty decent career prospects for software developers too. I would say just improved career prospects are not the whole reason for brain drain. > True, but pray how did you come to the conclusion that this was what caused people to emigrate? Personal experience (I am Indian, and have lived in several places in India and the US and am in a decent position to comment upon the quality of life), and the experiences of ~50-60 people I know fairly well who are in a similar situation. > Fact is talented people emigrated from India because they found better value for their skills in the US. That's pretty simple. This is true, but I think does not explain why, for example, there is not widespread immigration from, say, Canada to the US. I would say that people in Canada have a decent enough Government, and a lifestyle that is just comfortable enough to make moving to a new country not worth the pain. Of course, I could be totally mistaken about this, but it is just a view that you are free to disagree with. > But if you're going to link Indian emigration to every ill that plagues India, from its political system to its "overpopulation" (which btw many others call a "demographic dividend") and "regionalism" (which others call "federalism"), then you'd better have some evidence or sources. Perhaps as an émigré, I might be overzealous in ascribing all emigration to the ills that plague India. But calling overpopulation and regionalism something else does not exactly solve the problems arising from them. As for sources, I see you are a journalist for Forbes India and are probably able to access them much better than I can (although I am kinda surprised you did not seem to know about the stringent family planning measures during the Emergency, or maybe you just wanted me to elaborate).