Renowned economist Dr Bibek Debroy passed away early on November 1, 2024. Debroy was the chairman of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Indian Prime Minister’s office under Narendra Modi. The Padma Shri awardee also contributed to THE WEEK as a columnist. The 69-year-old author and professor was undergoing medical care at AIIMS.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media platform X, remembering Debroy "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," tweeted the Prime Minister.
Debroy served as a member NITI Aayog since its inception in January 2015 until June 2019. He is well known for his contributions in reforms in law and railways, and to the fields of economic theory and game theory. In his recent co-authored work, Inked in India, Debroy documented the fountain pen, bib, and ink makers of the country. Debroy was a known veteran in Indian publishing, having edited and authored numerous books, along with contributing to several newspapers and magazines.
Debroy was born in the northeastern state of Meghalaya in Shillong on January 25, 1955. He went on to study at Kolkata Presidency College and then Delhi School of Economics.