Human development is the expansion of human capabilities, enhancement of freedom and fulfillment of human right by the people’s active participation in the processes to shape their life and improves their living. United Nations Development Programme defined human development as the process of enlarging people choices, allowing them to lead a strong and healthy life, to be educated, to enjoy a decent standard of living providing human rights and various ingredients of self-respect. Gender equality and women empowerment is the new dimensions of development. Human development index is way for people and nations to see the policy frame of region and country. The present paper is an attempt to analyze the Characterstics and goals of human development with special reference to Indian context.