Unfortunately, the only two countries that are worse off than India in South Asia are Bangladesh and Nepal . Whether you look at poverty, hunger and illiteracy, BD lags India, which itself is poorer and hungrier than the poorest of the poor sub-Saharan Africans.
OPHI 2010 country briefings on India and Pakistan contain the following comparisons of multi-dimensional (MPI) and income poverty figures:
India
MPI= 55%,Under$1.25=42%,Under$2=76%,India_BPL=29%
Pakistan
MPI=51%,Under$1.25=23%,Under$2=60%,Pakistan_BPL=33%
Lesotho MPI=48%,Under$1.25=43%,Under$2=62%,Lesotho_BPL=68%
China
MPI=12%,Under$1.25=16%,Under$2=36%,China_BPL=3%
Among other South Asian nations, MPI index measures poverty in Bangladesh at 58 per cent and 65 per cent in Nepal.
Haq's Musings: New Index Finds Indians Poorer Than Africans and Pakistanis