Bibek Debroy awarded Padma posthumously by President Murmu

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday gave away the Padma Bhushan award posthumously to economist Bibek Debroy for his contribution to the field of literature and education.

His family members received the award at the ceremony, held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Debroy, who died on November 1, 2024, at the age of 69, was an economic advisor to the Prime Minister and a former member of NITI Aayog.

What distinguished Debroy from other economists was his profound knowledge of classical Sanskrit and ancient texts, and will be long remembered for translating Puranas, Valmiki Ramayana, and the Mahabharata.

Born in Shillong, Debroy’s academic interests were diverse, spanning from Sanskrit text translations to railway reforms. He translated a number of ancient texts such as the Puranas, Valmiki Ramayana, and the Mahabharata.

Apart from translation, Debroy explored several research fields including economic theory, income inequality, and infrastructure financing.