New Delhi, Sept. 8 -- India's 7.8% June-quarter growth rate was celebrated by the government but met with scepticism from opposition parties and critics. Technical base-year revisions aside, the doubt is fuelled by India's "high growth" story arguably not mirroring the lived reality for many people in the country.

Two factors drive the disconnect: first, the belief that recording 7-8% growth sporadically is celebration-worthy; and second, gross domestic product (GDP) growth may have decoupled from human welfare as inequality rises and economic expansion becomes more capital-intensive.

The latest available data on real GDP growth-expected to undergo revisions once back-series data based on the new base year is released later-shows that I...