Arvind Panagariya

1. 🎓 In 1978, Arvind Panagariya began his academic career as a professor of economics at the University of Maryland, where he co-directed the Center for International Economics until 2003, shaping early research on international trade. 2. In 2008, his book India: The Emerging Giant was published by Oxford University Press, offering a detailed 544-page analysis of India's economy since the 1950s and a blueprint for future reforms that caught the attention of policymakers worldwide. 3. 🌏 Between 2015 and 2017, Panagariya served as the first Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, India's premier policy think tank, where he led data analysis of the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011, influencing government economic strategies under Prime Minister Modi. 4. 🏛️ In 2012, Panagariya was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, recognizing his research and public policy work that bridged academia and government. 5. In 2023, he was appointed Chancellor of the modern Nalanda University in Bihar, reviving an ancient seat of learning and connecting India's economic scholarship with its historic educational heritage. 6. He also became chairman of the 16th Finance Commission in 2023, playing a crucial role in shaping India's fiscal federalism and budget allocations for five years. 7. 📝 Panagariya’s 2008 collaboration with Jagdish Bhagwati on Why Growth Matters won the Eccles Prize for Economic Writing; The Economist called it “a manifesto for policymakers and analysts,” highlighting its influence on economic thought. ❓ How did Panagariya’s blend of global economic theory and Indian policy experience reshape the country’s approach to growth and reform during the volatile 2010s?