K. N. Raj, Economist
Economist

K. N. Raj

Born 13 May 1924 · Kerala — Died 10 February 2010

Co-founded the Delhi School of Economics in 1949, shaping India's economic education.

Kakkadan Nandanath Rajan was an Indian economist. He is popularly known as K. N. Raj.

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A detail that
surprised us

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At 26, K. N. Raj drafted the introduction to India’s First Five Year Plan, shaping economic policy while most peers were just beginning their careers.

The Story

1
In 1950, at the mere age of 26, K. N. Raj authored the introductory chapter of India’s First Five Year Plan, a foundational document for the nation’s planned economic development.
2
🌍 By the early 1950s, he computed India’s Balance of Payments for the Reserve Bank of India, providing a crucial financial snapshot for a newly independent country grappling with foreign aid needs.
3As a disciple of Malcolm Adiseshiah, Raj’s 1950s thesis at the London School of Economics focused on India’s central bank’s monetary policy, intertwining Keynesian economics with Indian realities.
4🏛️ During 1969-1970, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University, where he was instrumental in establishing the Delhi School of Economics, nurturing generations of economists including Manmohan Singh and Amartya Sen.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2000
Padma Vibhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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At age 26, Raj wrote the introductory chapter of India’s First Five Year Plan in 1950, a critical document for the nation’s planned economy.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Thrissur District, Kerala
Kakkadan Nandanath Rajan was born in Kerala, later known as K. N. Raj, destined to influence India's economic planning.
1924
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Career
Drafted Intro to India's First Five Year Plan
At age 26, Raj wrote the introductory chapter of the foundational economic plan guiding India's post-independence development.
1950
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Career
Computed India’s Balance of Payments
Raj compiled the first Balance of Payments data for the Reserve Bank of India, crucial for foreign aid negotiations.
1950
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Career
Became Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University
Raj served as Vice-Chancellor for over a year, helping establish the Delhi School of Economics.
1969
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Career
Founded Centre for Development Studies
Raj established CDS in Kerala, focusing on economic research that shaped the Kerala model of development.
1971
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Death
Passed away
K. N. Raj died, leaving behind a legacy in India’s economic planning and research institutions.
2010
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 06
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He computed India’s Balance of Payments for the Reserve Bank of India for the first time in the early 1950s, a technical feat vital for economic planning.

02 / 06
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Despite being a leftist economist, Raj opposed Lenin’s ideas of the State, highlighting his nuanced stance on socialism and governance.

03 / 06
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Raj helped establish the Delhi School of Economics during his tenure at Delhi University, which became a cradle for India’s future economic policymakers.

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"I think that most of the things that welfare economists talk about are those that are obvious to all of us, especially the common people."

— K. N. Raj

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
3 times when JAIRAM RAMESH met PROF. KN RAJ !| Manmohan Singh | 1991 Reforms | Vinayakan Sajeev
More from this archive
3 times when JAIRAM RAMESH met PROF. KN RAJ !| Manmohan Singh | 1991 Reforms | Vinayakan Sajeev
01
3 times when JAIRAM RAMESH met PROF. KN RAJ !| Manmohan Singh | 1991 Reforms | Vinayakan Sajeev
LIFE OF ECONOMIST PROF. KN RAJ
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LIFE OF ECONOMIST PROF. KN RAJ

🌱 What changed because of them

K. N. Raj’s work led to the creation of the Centre for Development Studies, which transformed Kerala’s socio-economic research landscape and influenced national planning policies. His early calculations of India’s balance of payments provided key data for policymakers navigating post-independence economic challenges. Raj’s Keynesian approach offered a counterpoint to later liberalisation trends, preserving a welfare-oriented economic discourse in India.

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