On average, 7.2 percent of all daily deaths in 10 of the largest and most polluted cities in India were linked to PM2.5 levels higher than WHO guidelines.
Delhi was found to have the largest fraction of daily and yearly deaths attributable to PM2.5 air pollution, caused by particles sized 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter.
The international team that published the study in The Lancet Planetary Health journal included researchers from BHU and the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi.
They found that an increase of 10 micrograms per cubic metre in the average of PM2.5 pollution measured over two days was related to 1.4 percent higher daily mortality.
The authors found a 0.31 percent rise in daily mortality per a 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase in PM2.5 in Delhi, while in Bengaluru, the rise was 3.06 percent.