Lord Meghnad Desai, Eminent Economist and UK Peer, Passes Away at 85

Eminent economist and member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, Lord Meghnad Desai, passed away in the United Kingdom. He was 85 years old. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death. 

The Indian-born British citizen Lord Meghnad Desai was known for his scholarship, particularly for his contributions to strengthening India-United Kingdom relations.

About Lord Meghnad Desai 

Meghnad Desai was born in Vadodara, Gujarat, in 1940 as Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai.

Meghnad Desai earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics from the prestigious Mumbai University in Maharashtra.

For higher studies, he went to the United States of America and earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

He joined the famous London School of Economics as a faculty member in 1965.

His main areas of work were in Marxian economics, economic development, and globalisation. He published more than 200 academic papers and eight books. His famous books include Marxian Economic Theory, Marx’s Revenge, The Rediscovery of India, and Who Wrote the Bhagavad Gita.

First Indian origin Labour member of the House of Lords

The Labour Party appointed Meghand Desai as a member of the House of Lords in 1991. 

He is the first person of Indian origin to be appointed to the Upper House of the British Parliament by the Labour Party.

He established the Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics in Mumbai, from where he did his graduation and post-graduation in Economics.

He also played a prominent role in the installation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Parliament Square in London as a symbol of India-United Kingdom solidarity.