Bibek Debroy, chairman of PM’s economic advisory council and top economist, passes away at 69

Bibek Debroy, the chairman of Prime Minister’s economic advisory council (EAC-PM) and a top economist, passed away on Friday morning. He was 69.

He was admitted to AIIMS.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Bibek Debroy following his passing.

“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,” PM Narendra Modi wrote on X.

Bibek Debroy was educated in Ramakrishna Mission School, Narendrapur; Presidency College, Kolkata; Delhi School of Economics; and Trinity College, Cambridge.

He had worked in Presidency College, Kolkata; Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune; Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi; and also as the director of a ministry of finance/UNDP project on legal reforms.

Who was Bibek Debroy?

Bibek Debroy was a distinguished Indian economist, author, and scholar known for his contributions to economic policy and Sanskrit texts. He has played a crucial role in shaping India’s economic policies.

With expertise in diverse fields, including macroeconomics, public finance, and infrastructure, Debroy has published extensively on topics such as economic reforms, governance, and the Indian railways.

He was also celebrated for his work in translating classical Sanskrit texts, including the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, bringing ancient Indian wisdom to modern readers.

He was also a member of NITI Aayog up to June 5, 2019. He has also been a consulting/contributing editor with several newspapers.