India's journey of social transformation, marked by rapid economic growth since the 1990s, has paradoxically given rise to new and complex forms of inequalities and acute poverty, posing significant challenges to inclusive development. While traditional inequalities based on caste, gender, and religion persist, globalization and liberalization have introduced new dimensions. Emerging inequalities include a stark widening of income and wealth disparities, where the benefits of growth have disproportionately accrued to a small elite, leaving a vast majority behind. This is evident in the growing gap between the super-rich and the rest of the population. The urban-rural divide has intensified, with economic opportunities, infrastructure, and quality services concentrated in urban centers, further marginalizing rural populations. A significant 'digital divide' has emerged, where unequal access to and proficiency in digital technologies creates new forms of exclusion in education, employment, and information access. Regional disparities have also deepened, with some states experiencing rapid growth while others lag. Acute poverty, though reduced in absolute numbers, remains a persistent challenge, particularly among landless laborers, informal sector workers, tribal communities, and urban slum dwellers. These groups are highly vulnerable to economic shocks, climate change impacts, and lack access to basic services like clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. The informalization of labor, characterized by precarious jobs, low wages, and lack of social security, traps millions in a cycle of acute poverty. These emerging inequalities and acute poverty threaten social cohesion, fuel social unrest, hinder human capital development, and undermine the democratic fabric, making their redressal central to achieving equitable and sustainable social transformation in India.