‘Losing the Old World’: Justice Surya Kant Warns Of Growing Disconnect With Elders
Supreme Court judge warns of growing elder neglect amid weakening family bonds.
Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant has sounded a powerful warning about India’s fraying social fabric, cautioning that society risks “losing the old world that kept us human” as intergenerational bonds weaken. Speaking at a special session on the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act in New Delhi, the judge urged greater social, legal, and emotional responsibility toward safeguarding the dignity of the elderly.
Addressing an audience of law students, officials, and civil society members, Justice Surya Kant highlighted the growing isolation of senior citizens who find themselves victims of digital fraud, abandonment, or endless property disputes. “Prosperity has silently replaced proximity,” he remarked, describing migration and modernization as a “civilisation tremor” that has separated generations. Recalling a recent Supreme Court case in which a widow fought for maintenance for nearly five decades, he said dignity must never expire with age. “Justice demanded more than technical correctness,” he noted, emphasizing that the law must serve as a “renewing framework of dignity.”
The judge, who is set to become the next Chief Justice of India, called for stronger coordination between the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), state legal bodies, police, and welfare officials to protect senior citizens before neglect escalates into litigation. Yet, he stressed, institutional mechanisms alone cannot replace human empathy. “The bridge between the old and the new is built by the youth,” he said, urging young people to help elders navigate technology, public systems, and daily social interactions.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar echoed the judge’s concerns, lamenting that urban lifestyles and changing priorities have distanced families from their elders. “The idea of the old-age home was never part of Eastern culture. It is a Western thought,” he said, recounting stories of highly educated parents—doctors and engineers—now living in isolation. He added that even when abandoned, many elders refuse to act against their children, saying, “Do not file a case against my son.”
Social Justice Secretary Amit Yadav added that India is on the brink of a major demographic shift, with the elderly population expected to triple to 34 crore by 2050. He said the MWPSC Act gives legislative strength to Article 41 of the Constitution, which ensures care for the aged, but noted that “laws must be lived and dignity must be felt.” He called on communities to actively include elders in everyday life, warning that as digitalization expands, so too do risks of fraud, exclusion, and neglect. “The ageing must be accompanied not by vulnerability but by dignity, security, and meaningful participation,” he concluded.
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