THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Nov 1: Bibek Debroy, a distinguished economist and Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Indian Prime Minister, passed away on Friday at the age of 69.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow on social media platform X, paying tribute by saying, “Dr. Bibek Debroy Ji was a towering scholar, well-versed in diverse domains like economics, history, culture, politics, spirituality and more. Through his works, he left an indelible mark on India’s intellectual landscape. Beyond his contributions to public policy, he enjoyed working on our ancient texts, making them accessible to the youth.”
Dr. Bibek Debroy Ji was a towering scholar, well-versed in diverse domains like economics, history, culture, politics, spirituality and more. Through his works, he left an indelible mark on India’s intellectual landscape. Beyond his contributions to public policy, he enjoyed… pic.twitter.com/E3DETgajLr
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 1, 2024
Who was Bibek Debroy?
Debroy was renowned for his significant contributions to economic policy and research. He also led the Finance Ministry’s ‘Expert Committee for Infrastructure Classification and Financing Framework for Amrit Kaal,’ a project aimed at boosting India’s economic stature over the next 25 years.
Debroy, born on January 25 to a Bengali family in Shillong, began his education at Ramakrishna Mission School in Narendrapur. He went on to study at Presidency College in Kolkata, the Delhi School of Economics, and Trinity College, Cambridge.
He taught at several institutions throughout his career, including Presidency College in Kolkata (1979-83), the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune (1983-87), and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in Delhi (1987-93).
He served as the director of a Ministry of Finance and UNDP project on legal reforms from 1993 to 1998 and worked with the Department of Economic Affairs during 1994-95. Additionally, Debroy was a key member of the government’s main think tank, NITI Aayog, since its founding.
Debroy had a distinguished career in economics, contributing significantly to topics such as game theory, income inequality, poverty, legal reforms, and railway policy. He was also a distinguished scholar of Indian texts and culture, particularly recognized for his ten-volume translation of the Mahabharata, which was praised for its readability and insightfulness.
