India, April 28 -- My father died at the age of 49 in 1965 from an ailing heart condition. I was only 11 years old then. Just a decade or so later, the cause of his death had an easy cure through a stent or a bypass. For me, it has always been a matter of enduring grief that he passed away from a disease that is far from fatal today, and most people recover to lead a healthy and long life.

The rapid developments in modern medicine have dramatically improved our lives' longevity. In 1960, the average life expectancy in India was 45; by 1986, it had increased to 57; in 2020, it was 67. This is much below that of other countries, especially in the developed world. Japan has the highest life expectancy of 84 and in most West European countri...