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Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
7 Indian-origin economists in the US: A look at the schools they went to
Top Indian-origin economists in the US and their educational backgrounds. (AI Image used for representational purposes only) Indian-origin economists have been pivotal in shaping modern economic thought and policy, influencing areas ranging from development economics and international trade to behavioral economics and financial regulation. Their academic paths often start in India and extend to world-renowned universities in the US, reflecting a blend of rich cultural backgrounds and rigorous training. Below are seven distinguished Indian-origin economists working or having worked in the US, along with their educational backgrounds and notable contributions. Abhijit Banerjee (born 21 February 1961) Banerjee received his BSc (Honours) in Economics from Presidency College, University of Calcutta in 1981, before completing an MA at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi in 1983. He then earned his PhD in Economics from Harvard University in 1988. Banerjee is now the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT and co-founder of J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab). Alongside Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer, he received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019 for his innovative use of randomised controlled trials to alleviate poverty. His work reshaped how development programmes are designed globally, grounding policy in rigorous field research. Arvind Panagariya (born 30 September 1952) Panagariya obtained a BA from the University of Delhi and an MA from the Delhi School of Economics before completing a PhD in Economics at Princeton University. He served as Vice-Chairman of India's NITI Aayog and holds the Jagdish Bhagwati Chair in Indian Political Economy at Columbia University. A strong advocate of trade liberalisation and market reforms, his research has influenced India's economic policy direction. Panagariya's blend of rigorous scholarship and public service has made him an influential figure in both academic and policy circles. Raghuram Rajan (born 3 February 1963) Rajan holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi, an MBA (PGDM) from IIM Ahmedabad, and earned his PhD from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1991. He later served as Chief Economist at the IMF and as the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Today he is the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Rajan's early warnings about the 2008 financial crisis and his insights into banking structure and economic growth have made him a respected voice in global finance. Kaushik Basu (born 4 November 1952) Basu studied at Presidency College, University of Calcutta for his BA and later earned his MA and PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics. He served as the Chief Economist at the World Bank and as Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India. As C. Marks Professor of International Studies at Cornell University, his work spans welfare economics, game theory, political economy and development policy. Basu is also known for contributions such as the 'traveller's dilemma' paradox and writings aimed at public discourse. Devesh Kapur (born 11 March 1961) Kapur completed his BA at St Stephen's College, Delhi, and gained an MA at Delhi School of Economics before earning a PhD in Political Science at Princeton University. He is Director of the Centre for the Advanced Study of India and Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Kapur's influential work on the Indian diaspora, immigration economics and development policy builds on empirical analysis and nuanced understanding of migration flows. Sendhil Mullainathan (born 17 October 1973) Mullainathan earned a BA in Computer Science, Mathematics and Economics from Cornell University and a PhD in Economics from Harvard University. He is Professor of Computation and Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and co-founded J-PAL and behavioural science firm Ideas42. His pioneering research explores how cognitive biases and scarcity affect decision-making, poverty and policy design, shaping the field of behavioural economics. Jagdish Bhagwati (born 26 July 1934) Bhagwati attended St Xavier's High School and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Sydenham College, Mumbai. He then travelled to England to study at St John's College, Cambridge, where in 1956 he received a second BA in Economics. He completed his PhD in Economics at MIT. Bhagwati served as Ford International Professor of Economics at MIT before joining Columbia University as University Professor of Economics and Law. A Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Bhagwati is a renowned authority on trade theory and globalisation, honoured with Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards. These Indian-origin economists not only represent academic excellence but have also significantly influenced economic policies and global economic thought through their research, advisory roles, and advocacy. Their educational trajectories highlight the interplay between Indian and American academic institutions in nurturing global economic leaders. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Former Asia Pacific Correspondent of The Hindu, P.S. Suryanarayana, passes away
Former Asia Pacific Correspondent of The Hindu, P.S. Suryanarayana, passed away at his home in Sastri Nagar in the city on Sunday afternoon. He was 75. He served in The Hindu for nearly 23 years and has worked as a foreign correspondent from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Singapore. His wife, Jayanthi Padmanabhan, said that the end came very suddenly. 'He was feeling a bit uneasy after lunch, and we got ready to go to the hospital. But he collapsed. He was under treatment for excess potassium and were to go for a review with the cardiologist,' she said. The funeral will be held on Monday at 11.30 a.m. at Besant Nagar. Born to Pisupati Sadasiva and Venkatalakshmi at Salem on July 15, 1949, Suryanarayana did his MA in Politics and Public Administration at Presidency College. After his retirement, he worked in the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and then at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The couple returned to Chennai in 2020. He has written several books, including The Elusive Tipping Point, Grey Zone Governance in Geo Politics, and Smart Diplomacy – Exploring China-India Synergy.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The ‘Penn' Rewriting Rules of Tamil Lyrics: Are These Women Lyricists Redefining Tamil Cinema Or Are They Just a Passing Trend?
In an industry dominated by men, lyricists such as Thamarai are working to bring sensuality and sensibility into songs. And Kollywood, they say, is finally tuning in In the late 1990s, as a young Thamarai went around Kodambakkam knocking on film studio doors saying she would like to write a song, they'd hear it as 'sing a song'. 'I would repeat that I want to write lyrics, and they'd stare at me as if I were an alien,' says the lyricist, who, regardless, went on to write 500 songs for Tamil cinema in 25 years, out of which at least 100 were hits. She got her first big break with 'Vaseegara' from 'Minnale' (2001), owing to the fact that director Goutham Vasudev Menon and Harris Jayaraj were also beginners were and all for experiments. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai In a way it marked the beginning of an era of women lyricists in Kollywood. 'I was in school when 'Minnale' was released, and everyone was awestruck by the fact that a woman can also write such fresh and beautiful lyrics. She's a trailblazer and it made it easy for other women,' says lyricist Parvathy Meera, who has written hits such as 'Verasa pogayille', her debut, from 'Jilla' (2014) and 'Medhakudhu kaalu rendum' from 'Brother' (2024). Some of the biggest chartbusters in Kollywood, from 'Maya nadhi' ('Kabali') by Uma Devi and 'Enga pona raasa' ('Mariyan') by Kutty Revathy to 'Ondra randra asaigal' ('Kaakha Kaakha') by Thamarai, were written by women, a phenomenon unique to the Tamil film industry. While Bollywood has a few women lyricists such as Anvita Dutt and Priya Saraiya, even they admit recognition is an uphill battle. 'As lyricists, we prioritise poetry and deeper meanings over double entendre,' says Kutty Revathy, lyricist and filmmaker. 'I enjoy writing lyrics over scripts as there is more autonomy.' Also, Tamil literature always had women poets, and will always have them, regardless of whether they come to the fore or not, says Thamarai. 'Sangam literature from 200BCE to 200AD had at least 40 prominent women poets in Tamil, who wrote about love and other intense emotions uninhibitedly,' says R Raman, Tamil scholar and principal, Presidency College. 'There was a long break when poetry turned devotional, with few women writers coming to the fore. But women's voices returned to the mainstream in the 20th century, in modern poetry and cinema. In the 1990s, a group of talented poets started experimenting with modern poetry, which included the voices of women, dalits and other marginalised sections, he says. 'Among them are Salma and Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. While the earlier poets were hesitant to write freely about love, this group wasn't. A few switched to cinema.' Parvaty feels that it's also to do with the Tamil language being more than a tool for communication. 'There's a history and pride associated with it. That just reflected on the women as well.' Tamil cinema had a woman lyricist – T P Rajalakshmi aka Miss Kamala – as early as the 1930s, says film critic G Dhananjayan. 'Then came Bhanumathi, who was also a writer and director, in the 1950s. Lyrics by women have always been mature and poetic, as opposed to streaks of regression that creep in, at times, in those by men.' Thamarai wrote lines such as: Vaseegara en nenjinikka/ Un pon madiyil thoongum nenjam (You are the charmer of my heart/ My heart longs to sleep in your golden lap). This, at a time when popular songs such as 'Kattipudi' (written by Vairamuthu) had the lines: Yentha idathil sugam inga athigam, ...Kandippidippaen Antha idathil nandu pidippaen (Wherever the pleasure is highest here, ... I'll surely find it — And in that very spot, I'll catch the crab."). Also, while men often compare women to flowers or the moon, these lyricists often use a different set of metaphors. In Kutty Revathy's 'Nenje ezhu' the woman is land, sky and wind. 'This group of women lyricists write more empowering metaphors symbolising dignity and honesty, rather than comparisons with fragile feminine objects. An example is 'Minikki minikki' by Umadevi from 'Thangalan',' says Dhananjayan. 'Even when I had no opportunities, I had strict conditions – no obscenity, no mixing of English and Tamil words,' says Thamarai, now 59 years old. 'Songs last long after films are forgotten. I had a clear vision of the values I wanted to project through my art. I think 200 times before writing each word.' Challenges were many, as even after she became famous, people initially thought she could write only women's versions and soft songs. 'I wanted to prove I could write men's versions too and wrote hero introduction songs which also clicked.' Thamarai was a mechanical engineer and had worked as the only woman among groups of men for years, which helped her navigate a world dominated by men, she says. At the same time, writing is going through a sea change for those of all genders, say lyricists. 'The younger generation doesn't understand simple Tamil words, yet they are the creators of films and music. There is no demand for rich language and poetry,' says Thamarai. 'Once a director told me, 'I wish I could work with you, but I can't because you write good Tamil',' says Parvathy. There are many more talented women lyricists in Tamil Nadu, but they don't get the right opportunities, says Prabha Gurumurthy, singer and voice-over artist. 'Something like a talent show should be held for lyrics as well, where contestants can display their skills impromptu, just like for singing.' Kutty Revathy hits Enga pona raasa (2013) Nenjae ezhu (2013) Aayiram aayiram (2015) Thoonga kangal (2015) Aahaa (2021) Parvathy Meera hits Verasa pogayille (2014) Kannukkul pothivaippen (2014) Yaaro ival (2014) Edhedho ennam vandhu (2014 Uma Devi hits Naan nee naam vaazhave (2014) Maya nadhi (2016) Veera thurandhara (2016) Adi vaadi thimiraa (2017) Anbae peranbae (2019) Thamarai hits Vaseegara (2001) Ondra renda (2003) Suttum vizhi (2005) Nenjukkul peidhidum (2008) Of the nearly 400 lyricists registered with the Indian Performing Right Society, only four are women — Na Viveka, lyricist Email your feedback to
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Business Standard
06-07-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Susim Mukul Datta: Fountain of youth who left a lasting imprint on HLL
Precisely five days after his 89th birthday, Susim Mukul Datta returned to his creator with grace and tranquillity, which, incidentally, is what his name means. This piece is not an elegy or an obituary. It is an intimate portrait of one of India's highly accomplished leaders. As a young trainee in 1967, I was assigned to do a project in Hindustan Lever Limited's (HLL's) Bombay factory. Energetic manufacturing engineers assembled in the canteen at lunchtime, seemingly in a rush to get their share of carrom, bridge, or adda. I felt lonely as a 21-year-old, looking for someone of my age group and lowly rank. And I noticed a tranquil Susim Datta, whom I befriended. 'Hello, I am a trainee of 1967, which batch are you?' I enquired in my friendly best tone. 'Oh, hello, I am 1956,' he replied. 'What! How could a person ten years my senior look so young?' That is a mystery I never uncovered over the next sixty years. Susim was a picture of the ever-youthful Dorian Gray — without the excesses of the character in Oscar Wilde's story! He told me that he was a chemical engineer from Presidency College, and currently the development manager in the factory. Susim spoke of hydrogenation and saponification as though they were his mother tongue. What about Bengali, I ventured. He hummed what seemed to me as soulful Rabindra Sangeet, perhaps the only such recital within the walls of the Mumbai factory managers' canteen! As the years rolled on, he never came through as a backslapping, but instantly connecting person. I thought of him as a reserved, soft spoken, enviably knowledgeable technical geek. It seemed that he knew everything that was worth knowing, and what he did not know was not worth knowing. He did many clever things in the company and rose meteorically, all of which have been recounted in his obituaries. By 1980, he was rumoured to be a potential chairman. In 1990, he became chairman. During his tenure as chairman of HLL, he acquired a reputation as a mergers and acquisitions magician, and as a leader who pushed for aggressive goals in a seemingly non-aggressive manner through his mantra: quality-innovation-collaboration-acquisitions. He presided over one of the longest company general body meetings when he piloted the HLL meeting for the acquisition of Tata Oil Mills Co. He was a picture of patience. This is an intimate portrait and not an obituary. I close with a reference to the only film in which Susim has acted. It was titled Four Men of India, directed by Caryl Doncaster and produced for Unilever and Hindustan Lever by James Carr. BBC showed this film among many others in a Trade Test for Colour Films. In this film, a Sikh salesman is depicted using his sales van to sell soaps in the Himalayas. A Rajasthani man is shown as a migrant to the city to work in a soap factory (I recognised the Jones Stamping Machine at Bombay factory). A supervisor at the factory is shown to have come from Kerala. Finally, an upcoming young engineer from the east is shown in the Calcutta factory, guiding a production supervisor and his team on a dalda packing line. The young engineer was a 25-year-old Susim! If you watch that film now, you will see that the young Susim greatly resembles the retiring chairman thirty-five years later. That is why, to me, Susim has not passed away, rather he is the ever-youthful leader to all who knew him. He is remembered as one of the top corporate leaders of India who will always occupy an elite spot.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nostalgia runs high for locked union rooms
Kolkata: Former students from various colleges and universities rued the transformation of union rooms from vibrant, democratic spaces to venues for activities that have damaged the institutions' reputation. From the late fifties to the mid-sixties, the CU union room was the centre of significant movements, including the food movement. It also played a key role alongside the union room of Presidency College during the Naxalite movement. Under the leadership of Naxalite leader Asim Chatterjee, at least 26 students resided in the Presidency College union room. Sibaji Pratim Basu, former Vidyasagar University VC and a Presi alumnus, said: "Presidency became a seat of activities during the Naxalite Movement. Presidency Consolidation was formed with students from Presidency and other colleges. I heard from Ranabir Samaddar that they worked with bakery workers of Kelabagan for their rights." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata He added, "During my time, union rooms were our homes. I had the key to the union room and used to go there even on Sundays. It was the time of 'Bandi Mukti Andolan'. We wrote posters and interacted with each other." Kunal Chattopadhyay, a former professor and a JU alumnus, said, "I was a student from 1976 to 1981. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Quaraí (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo The union rooms were spaces where students and elected representatives regularly convened. This space was alive and democratic because union elections were held every year." Rajyeswar Sinha, a JU Bengali department professor, said that during his university days from 1995 to 2000, the union room housed a library and was a venue for exchanging ideas. "I remember reading numerous newspapers and magazines in the union room. It was a place for listening to different music, writing lyrics, and debating about Kabir Suman songs."
