---
title: "P. C. Mahalanobis: Statistician & Planner | Model Diplomat"
description: "P. C. Mahalanobis was a key Indian statistician who founded the Indian Statistical Institute and shaped India's Second Five-Year Plan for economic growth."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/p-c-mahalanobis"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- P.
- C.
- What is the difference between the Mahalanobis model and the Harrod-Domar model used in Indian planning?
- What is the Mahalanobis distance and how does it relate to his planning work?
- Why was the Mahalanobis heavy-industry strategy criticised?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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Under the Second Five-Year Plan adopted in 1956, the Planning Commission applied Mahalanobis's heavy-industry model to establish public-sector steel plants at Bhilai, Rourkela, and Durgapur.

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