Friday, 01 November 2024
Friday, 01 November 2024
Dr. Bibek Debroy, an economist who served as chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, died on Friday at age 69.
Debroy, 69, was an alumnus of 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.
He was also an accomplished writer whose knowledge went beyond economics.
A host of personalities paid tributes to him on his passing.
Narendra Modi: Debroy left indelible mark on India’s intellectual landscape
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Bibek Debroy as a towering scholar.
“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,” Modi wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, with a photograph of him with Debroy.
President Murmu: Honoured with Padma Shri for his extraordinary contributions
President Droupadi Murmu mourned Bibek Debroy’s death as the loss of an eminent public intellectual.
“In the demise of Dr. Bibek Debroy the country has lost an eminent public intellectual who enriched diverse fields, from policy making to translating our great scriptures. His understanding of India’s social, cultural and economic landscape was exceptional. For his extraordinary contributions, he was honoured with Padma Shri. I convey my condolences to his family, friends and admirers,” the President wrote on her X handle.
Mamata Banerjee: A brilliant son of Bengal
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was saddened by Debroy’s sudden demise.
“Saddened by the news of the sudden demise of Bibek Debroy, noted economist and Chairman of PM's Economic Advisory Council. A brilliant son of Bengal and a scholar of repute, he will be remembered by us. Condolences to the bereaved family and friends,” she wrote on X.
Amitabh Kant: We have lost one of India's brightest minds
Amitabh Kant, fellow economist, India's G20 sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog, said Bibek Debroy’s insights into economics shaped policy and inspired many.
“I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Bibek Debroy. His insights into economics shaped policy and inspired many. He was a brilliant mind, and an incredibly kind soul who genuinely cared for the betterment of society. I fondly remember working with him and being struck by his patience, and ability to articulate complex issues with unmatched clarity. You will be dearly missed Bibek. We have lost one of India's brightest minds today,” Kant posted.
S. Jaishankar: Enormous contributions to governance and policy-making
Minister of external affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar said he was deeply grieved at Debroy’s death.
“Deeply grieved at the passing away of Dr. Bibek Debroy. His contributions to governance and policy making were enormous. Equally, his exceptional talents were harnessed to make our culture, history and traditions accessible to many generations. Remembering a dedicated reformer, great nationalist, an erudite scholar and a wonderful friend. Om Shanti,”
Smriti Irani: Always encouraging, hopeful and helpful
Smiriti Irani, BJP leader and former Union minister, offered her condolences to Bibek Debory’s wife, Suparna Debroy.
“Bibek Da leaves behind countless memories of meaningful conversations. Always encouraging, hopeful & helpful I will fondly remember his academic contributions & sharp inputs. My condolences on his passing to Suparna ji & family. Om Shanti,” she wrote.
Piyush Goyal: Profoundly impacted India’s economic thought
Union minister Piyush Goyal also paid rich tributes to Debroy.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Bibek Debroy ji, a distinguished economist, passionate scholar, writer, policy reformer, and an eminent advisor. His body of work has profoundly impacted India's economic thought and journey and our cultural discourse. His unique insights have enriched our understanding of Bharat’s rich civilizational heritage and will be a torchbearer for our future generations. I join the nation in mourning the loss of an intellectual giant. My condolences to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti,” Goyal wrote.
Rajnath Singh: Big void in scholarly circle
Defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote: “Deeply saddened by the passing away of Dr. Bibek Debroy ji, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. He was a distinguished academic whose contributions to the various spheres of knowledge are invaluable. His work and life reflect his strong commitment to make India a developed nation. His demise has left a big void in scholarly circles. My condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti!”
Nirmala Sitharaman: Had so much more left to do
Union finance minister Nirmala Siutharaman wrote: "It is with profound grief that I condole the demise of Shri. @bibekdebroy. As Chairman of PM Economic Advisory Council, he profusely participated in policy making. His interests, inter alia, were—ancient texts, Vedic and classical Sanskrit, Devi, Railways. He was prolific in translating Sanskrit to English- our epics and puranas. His book Sarama and Her Children showed his uncanny knack in extracting nuggets from our ancient texts. Bibek, you had so much more to do and to complete— for all our sake! Farewell! Om Shanti.”
Jairam Ramesh: His dry sense of humour and scholarship will be missed
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh remembered Debroy’s scholarship as well as sense of humour.
“A man of unusually wide-ranging interests, Bibek Debroy was first and foremost a fine theoretical and empirical economist who worked and wrote on various aspects of the Indian economy. He also had a special skill for lucid exposition, in a manner that would make laypersons easily understand complex economic issues. Over the years, he has had numerous institutional affiliations and he left his mark everywhere,” Ramesh wrote.
“Bibek was also a very prolific, and always thought-provoking, commentator in the media on public issues going well beyond economics.
“More than that, he will be remembered as a genuine Sanskritist of great erudition. His translations were many and included the Mahabharata in ten volumes, the Ramayana in three volumes, and the Bhagavata Purana in three volumes. He had also translated the Bhagavad Gita and the Harivamsha. His translations of some important late 19th century essays in Bengali are also noteworthy. Coincidentally, I happened to be reading just a few days back his translation of Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay's striking 1879 essay titled "Samya" (Equality).
I had known him well for almost four decades and we would have conversations on all sorts of subjects. Recently, I had sent him two books which I knew he would relish--one on the importance of Prakrit in pre-modern India, and another on the literary life of Yagnavalkya.
“He will be missed for his scholarship as well for his dry sense of humour.”
Amish Tripathi: I feel orphaned
Popular writer Amish Tripathi said Debroy was like an elder brother to him.
“Bibek Debroy - Bibek da to me - was a brilliant scholar, a committed patriot and a noble man. He advised me, not just on our texts & philosophies, but also on life skills. He was an elder brother to me, whenever I needed his guidance. I stayed often at his house in Delhi when I visited there, and his pearls of wisdom every evening, when we chatted over dinner, will always remain with me. I feel orphaned. You went too early, Bibek da... Too early...
“Sincere condolences to Suparna bhabhi and the rest of his family,” Tripathi wrote.
