Renowned economist Bibek Debroy, who served as Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, passed away at 69 on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his condolences on X and described Debroy as a “towering scholar” with expertise in various fields, including economics, history, and spirituality. PM Modi also said that Debroy’s influential works significantly shaped India’s intellectual landscape.

Bibek Debroy’s Early Life

Debroy was born on January 25 in a Bengali family in West Bengal’s Shillong and began his educational journey at Ramakrishna Mission School, Narendrapur, followed by studies at Presidency College, Kolkata, Delhi School of Economics and Trinity College, Cambridge. 

He also works in the education sector including stints at Presidency College, Kolkata (1979-83), Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune (1983-87), and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi (1987-93).

Bibek Debroy career

Bibek Debroy was renowned for his significant contributions to economic policy and research. He also chaired the Finance Ministry’s “Expert Committee for Infrastructure Classification and Financing Framework for Amrit Kaal,” an initiative aimed at enhancing India’s economic position over the next 25 years.

He served as Director of a Ministry of Finance and UNDP project on legal reforms from 1993 to 1998 and also worked with the Department of Economic Affairs from 1994-95. Since its inception, Debroy has been an essential part of NITI Aayog, the government’s primary think tank.

 He made significant contributions to economics, with interests spanning game theory, income inequality, poverty, legal reforms and railway policy. He leaves behind a legacy as a thought leader who profoundly impacted India’s intellectual and economic landscape.