Loneliness is neither a 'first world' problem nor an age-related one. Its drivers and manifestations may vary, but the deleterious impact of loneliness is global. Which is why countries as distinct as Britain and Japan have a ministry of loneliness. India, too, grapples with it. A 2004 National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report found 4.91 million persons suffering from loneliness.
