Indians are among the unhappiest people in the world. The observation comes from the annual World Happiness Report, a measure of global life satisfaction across parameters of health, economy and freedom. Out of 143 countries, India ranked 126 — a marginal dip from last year’s 125th position — falling behind the war-torn Palestine and Ukraine, and neighbours like Pakistan and Nepal. The quest for happiness is also eluding most countries, the report finds. Welfare is a concern among the young, and the ‘happiness inequality’ gap is growing almost everywhere.

The report was a collaborative effort between Gallup, the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre. Researchers analysed global datasets assessing six factors: healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita, social support, freedom, generosity and perception of corruption. They also measured people’s life satisfaction, through a self-assessed evaluation tool called the Cantril ladder. “Think of a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top represents the best possible life for you, the bottom is the worst possible scenario. Which step do you personally feel you stand at this time?”