Bibek Debroy death: President Murmu, PM Modi remember the 'towering scholar'; tributes pour in

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the death of Bibek Debroy

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mourned the death of Bibek Debroy, distinguished economist and Chairman of the PM's Economic Advisory Council (EAC).

Debroy passed away on Friday at the age of 69 due to intestinal obstruction.

"In the demise of Dr. Bibek Debroy the country has lost an eminent public intellectual who enriched diverse fields, from policy making to translating our great scriptures. His understanding of India’s social, cultural and economic landscape was exceptional. For his extraordinary contributions, he was honoured with Padma Shri. I convey my condolences to his family, friends and admirers," the President said in a post on X.

PM Modi said Debroy has left an "indelible mark" on India's intellectual landscape and he 'enjoyed' working on ancient texts.

“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,” the Prime Minister wrote.

He further said he would “fondly remember his insights and passion for academic discourse”.

India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant said that the country has lost one of its “brightest minds” today. “I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Bibek Debroy. His insights into economics shaped policy and inspired many. He was a brilliant mind, and an incredibly kind soul who genuinely cared for the betterment of society. I fondly remember working with him and being struck by his patience, and ability to articulate complex issues with unmatched clarity. You will be dearly missed Bibek,” he wrote.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who knew the economist for almost four decades, said Debroy was "a man of unusually wide-ranging interests" and a skill for "lucid exposition".

A man of unusually wide-ranging interests, Bibek Debroy was first and foremost a fine theoretical and empirical economist who worked and wrote on various aspects of the Indian economy. He also had a special skill for lucid exposition, in a manner that would make laypersons easily

Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 1, 2024

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya wrote, “Saddened to hear of the passing of renowned economist and Chairman of PM Modi's Economic Advisory Council, Shri Bibek Debroy. A visionary and a Padma Shri awardee, he made lasting contributions to India's economic landscape.”

“He also contributed immensely to our civilisational rejuvenation through his several translations of historical texts. His wisdom and insights will be greatly missed,” Surya added.

Government advisor Kanchan Gupta also mourned the death of his "old friend".

"Deeply saddened by Bibek Debroy’s demise. He was a distinguished public intellectual and accomplished economist who headed PMEAC. Prolific writer, Sanskrit scholar, a kind person with a sense of humour. Bibek was all this and a lot more. I’ll miss an old friend," he said on X.

Member of the PM's EAC member Sanjeev Sanyal said he has lost a "friend and a mentor".

"Very very sad. I lost a friend, mentor, guide, colleague today. Bibek-da, we will really miss you. Om Shanti," Sanyal said.