India, Feb. 22 -- Our world today is going through an era of extraordinary digital transformation. Smartphones, social platforms, and communication technologies have brought millions into constant contact, collapsing distance in ways previous generations could never imagine. Yet, beneath this unprecedented connectivity lies a quieter truth: Loneliness is surging, not shrinking.

Even as we move through hyper-connected digital spaces, more people, especially in India's growing youth population, are struggling with emotional isolation. This paradox has now become so pronounced that the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Commission on Social Connection has identified loneliness and social isolation as urgent global public health challenges. ...