Bibek Debroy, Economist and Author
Economist and Author

Bibek Debroy

Born 25 January 1955 · West Bengal — Died 1 November 2024

Translated the entire Mahābhārata into English, making it accessible to a global audience.

Bibek Debroy was an Indian economist who chaired both the Indian Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council and a Finance Ministry expert committee on infrastructure, contributing significantly to game theory, economic theory, and the study of income and social inequalities, law reforms and railway reforms. From 2015 until 2019, Debroy was a member of an Indian government think tank known as NITI Aayog. He was also a prolific translator of major Sanskrit works — including the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata and several Purāṇas — into English.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Bibek Debroy translated the entire Mahābhārata into English, published in 10 volumes, a rare feat for a contemporary economist.

The Story

1
🌟 In 1955, Bibek Debroy was born in Shillong, Assam, into a family that had migrated from Sylhet in 1948, setting the stage for a life bridging diverse Indian and Bengali heritage.
2
By 1979, Debroy was teaching economics at Presidency College, Kolkata, after completing his MSc at Cambridge under Frank Hahn, where he worked on integrating information into general equilibrium frameworks.
3🚆 Between 2015 and 2019, he served as a member of NITI Aayog, influencing infrastructure policies during a crucial period for India's economic planning.
4📜 Debroy translated the entire Mahābhārata into English across 10 volumes, a monumental task that brought one of India's greatest epics to a contemporary audience in a scholarly form.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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Debroy's family migrated from Sylhet (now Bangladesh) as late as 1948, just after Partition, linking his personal history to pivotal moments in South Asian geopolitics.

🖼️

Through the Years

5 photographs from the archives
Bibek Debroy with Honourable President of India, Shri Ramnath Kovind (2017).
Bibek Debroy with Honourable President of India, Shri Ramnath Kovind (2017).
2017
Dr. Bibek Debroy co-authoring book released by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu in New Delhi (2017).
Dr. Bibek Debroy briefing media after first Economic Advisory Council meeting at NITI Aayog, New Delhi (2017).
Dr. Bibek Debroy presenting Dr. Singh the ten volumes of Mahabharata (2018).
Dr. Bibek Debroy's books launched with Union Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi (2018).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Shillong, Assam
Bibek Debroy was born to a Bengali family whose ancestors migrated from Sylhet in 1948, in Shillong, Assam (now Meghalaya).
1955
⚡
Career
Started teaching at Presidency College
Debroy began his academic career teaching economics at Presidency College, Kolkata after completing his MSc at Cambridge.
1979
⚡
Career
Directed LARGE project
Led the Finance Ministry and UNDP project on Legal Adjustments and Reforms for Globalising the Economy from 1993 to 1998.
1993
⚡
Career
Appointed to NITI Aayog
Joined the Indian government think tank NITI Aayog, serving till 2019 and influencing policy on infrastructure and economic reforms.
2015
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Shri
Received the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honor, acknowledging his contributions to economics and literature.
2015
🕊️
Death
Passed away in New Delhi
Died at age 69 in AIIMS, New Delhi, after a brief illness, marking the end of a multifaceted career.
2024
🏅
Award
Posthumous Padma Bhushan awarded
Received the Padma Bhushan posthumously, India's third-highest civilian honor, for lifetime achievements.
2025
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He studied under Frank Hahn at Cambridge, focusing on integrating information into general equilibrium theory, which remains a complex area in economic thought.

02 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Between 2006 and 2007, Debroy was rapporteur for implementation in the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, linking economics with legal reforms aimed at poverty alleviation.

03 / 05
🔍LESSER KNOWN

His magnum opus "Inked in India" catalogs India's fountain pen, nib, and ink manufacturers, a niche subject revealing an unexpected scholarly curiosity.

No quote recorded for Bibek Debroy yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Bibek Debroy: The Govt Insider Exclusive
·YouTube
More from this archive
Bibek Debroy: The Govt Insider Exclusive
01
Bibek Debroy: The Govt Insider Exclusive
YouTube
D8 : UPCLOSE and INTERPERSONAL with Bibek Debroy
02
D8 : UPCLOSE and INTERPERSONAL with Bibek Debroy
YouTube
Amish Tripathi & Bibek Debroy: Should We Have Lessons From Epics in Textbooks? Part 01 | ThinkEdu19
03
Amish Tripathi & Bibek Debroy: Should We Have Lessons From Epics in Textbooks? Part 01 | ThinkEdu19
YouTube
#IAmBuddhaChats | Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri in conversation with Padma Shri Bibek Debroy
04
#IAmBuddhaChats | Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri in conversation with Padma Shri Bibek Debroy
YouTube
Prof. Bibek Debroy's speech on Book "India @70 Modi@3.5"
05
Prof. Bibek Debroy's speech on Book "India @70 Modi@3.5"
YouTube
Prof. Bibek Debroy on 'The Current State of Economy'
06
Prof. Bibek Debroy on 'The Current State of Economy'
YouTube
Watch: Bibek Debroy shares his concerns about economic growth post-DeMo, GST
07
Watch: Bibek Debroy shares his concerns about economic growth post-DeMo, GST
YouTube
The Journey of Translations: A Conversation with Prof. Bibek Debroy
08
The Journey of Translations: A Conversation with Prof. Bibek Debroy
YouTube
Debroy on Getting India Back on Track
09
Debroy on Getting India Back on Track
YouTube
Bibek Debroy, Pushpesh Pant | The Puranas | Jaipur Literature Festival
10
Bibek Debroy, Pushpesh Pant | The Puranas | Jaipur Literature Festival
YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Bibek Debroy reshaped India's economic policy discourse through leadership roles in the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council and NITI Aayog, directly impacting infrastructure and legal reforms. His translations of Sanskrit epics revived academic and popular interest in Indian classical literature, making ancient texts accessible to modern English readers and fostering cultural scholarship across generations.

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