New Delhi: In a devastating blow for the India and in particular for its knowledge industry, one of the foremost authorities on economics and the Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, passed away on Friday November 1, 2024. On the economic front, his contribution to formulation of economic policy and his other academic activities have definitely set great imprint on the Indian public policy scenario.
PM Narendra Modi also took to twitter to say that he was deeply saddened by the death of Debroy who was a great scholar and a person deeply committed to the progress of India’s economy. Thus, Debroy involved an active influence on government policies since the administration of Modi in 2014. Since then, Debroy has been actively associated with formulating economical strategies across sectors based on fiscal, management, public etc.
A colourful career of contribution to the field of economics and the public
Debroy officially entered into public life after he received his education at the Ramakrishna Mission School, Narendrapur, then at Presidency College in Kolkata and at Delhi School of Economics. He went to Trinity College for his further studies and won a scholarship there; later, he went to the University of Cambridge, which set up a vast career for him.
The final set was cemented in September 2017 when he was appointed the chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. Before that he has been a permanent member in NITI Aayog from January 2015, which brought decentralised planning at a later stage replacing the old Planning Commission.
He independently involved in the formulation of strategies and policies on macroeconomic, fiscal employment and management of public sector undertakings. In particular, he also served as the head of the committee involved in the process of railways restructuring during the period between 2014 and 2015 and proposed serious changes within the Ministry as to enhance its effective functioning.
On the Rememberance of a Versatile Scholar
Nevertheless, the intellectual activities of Debroy touched more than the field of public policy: Prime Minister Modi appreciated the analysis conducted by Debroy regarding economics, history, culture, politics, spirituality and many other fields, valuable for elaboration of public policy. Modi also recalled that once, Debroy was a person with extensive academic knowledge and passion, with whom he had a friendly relationship mentioned that Debroy was his friend and a co-worker.
Besides his work in the field of economic philosophy, Debroy was also focused on translating and simplifying many Indian texts meant for children. Contemporary readers have also valued him due to efforts in translating religious scriptures in easing culture and generations’ gaps.
Origins of Its Scholastic Associations and Literary Writing
The quantitative aspect of Bibek Debroy’s academic career comprises his periods at Presidency College, Calcutta during 1979 to 1983 and at Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune during 1983 to 1987. Over the year Debroy has written many books out of which some have enriched economic literature and others helped in getting the Vedic Indian scriptures translated.
The Prime Minister who paid his tribute to Debroy through social media platform X(formerly Twitter) included a picture with Debroy with a caption that said ‘Will miss the academic discussions that we had’. It will be worth to remember his extensive knowledge and hard-working approach to the jobs he did.”
India has lost this talent where India can minimise its recognition of his versatile scholar where the library has been his life where India still inspiration skill of knowledge, cultural and dedicated to public.