Bibek Debroy: A 'towering scholar' and economist, with mastery in classical Sanskrit, ancient texts

New Delhi: What distinguished Bibek Debroy from other economists was his profound knowledge of classical Sanskrit and ancient texts, and will be long remembered for translating Puranas, Valmiki Ramayana, and the Mahabharata.

He was unique in his wide range of interests and scholarly pursuits. From his deep passion for translation work of Sanskrit texts to his dedication towards railway reforms, interests in fountain pens to some uncommon research interests like the role of dogs in Indian/Hindu life.

Debroy's economic interests and research work covered numerous areas such as economic theory, income inequality, and infrastructure financing.

In his long career as economist, within and outside the government, Debroy (69) also courted various controversies, including the one when as director (research) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies in 2005, he came out with a research paper, rating Gujarat as the number one state in India in terms of providing economic freedom.

He was reportedly shifted thereafter. The research paper was sponsored by the Friedrich-Naumann Stiftung in Germany and published by RGF, which oversees the operations of the institute.

In September, Debroy resigned as chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) after the Bombay High Court extended interim relief to Vice-Chancellor Ajit Ranade, who was earlier removed from his post.

He was appointed as chancellor of GIPE, a deemed-to-be university, in July.

It was a strange co-incidence that four days before his death, Debroy wrote a column in The Indian Express, in which he said there was a world outside that exists and 'What if I am not there? What indeed?' An alumni of Presidency College, Kolkata, Debroy studied at Delhi School of Economics (DSE), 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 a member of NITI Aayog up to June 5, 2019.

He authored/edited several books, papers and popular articles and had also been a consulting/contributing editor with several newspapers.

Besides economics, his main interest was in ancient Indian texts and also the railways.

In 2016, the government decided to merge the Rail Budget with the Union Budget from Budget year 2017-18 based on the recommendations of the committee headed by Debroy.

Debroy has translated dozens of ancient Sanskrit books into English. These include ten volumes of the Mahabharata, three-volume Valmiki Ramayana, Shiva Purana, and abridged version of about a dozen of Mahapuranas.

He is also the author of 'Sarama and Her Children', which splices his interest in Hinduism with his love for dogs.

Expressing grief at his passing, Modi said in a post on X, "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."

"I have known Dr. Debroy for many years. I will fondly remember his insights and passion for academic discourse. Saddened by his passing away. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti," he said.