Eminent Economist & Chairman EAC PM Dr Bibek Debroy passes away

Eminent economist and chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister(EAC PM), Dr Bibek Debroy, passed away on 1 November 2024 in New Delhi due to medical complications. He was 69 years old.

Dr Bibek Debroy has been the chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister since its constitution in 2017.

About Dr Bibek Debroy 

Dr Bibek Debroy was educated at the Ramakrishna Mission School, Narendrapur, and Kolkata’s Presidency College. He also attended the Delhi School of Economics and Trinity College, Cambridge, the United Kingdom.

He was also a prolific writer, having translated the Puranas, the four Vedas, 11 major Upanishads, and the Valmiki Ramayana and the Mahabharata from Sanskrit to English.

Important Appointments

• He was appointed a full-time member of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog from 2015 to 2019. 
• The Narendra Modi government established NITI Aayog of India on 1 January 2015 after abolishing the Planning Commission.
• He was appointed the chairman of the  Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister by the government of India in 2017.
• The Narendra Modi government established the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister on 26 September 2017.
• In 2015, Dr Bibek Debroy was honoured with India’s fourth highest civilian award, Padam Shri.

Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister

• The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister is a non-constitutional(not mentioned in the constitution), non-statutory body(not made by a law passed by parliament) established by the government of India on 26 September 2017.
• It is composed of economists and eminent experts.
• It is an independent body which provides advice to the Prime Minister on all critical economic or any other issues referred to by the Prime Minister.
• It is an advisory body whose advice is not binding on the Prime Minister.

Rajesh Kumar Singh, new Defence Secretary 

1989 batch Kerala Cadre IAS officer Rajesh Kumar Singh took over as the new Defence Secretary of India. 

He replaced Giridhar Aramane as the Defence Secretary, who retired on October 31, 2024. Before assuming office, Rajesh Singh had previously served as the Officer on Special Duty (Defence Secretary-designate) since August 20, 2024.

Other Important Posts to Remember 

• Cabinet Secretary: T V Somnathan
• Finance Secretary: Tuhin Kanta Pandey
• Home Secretary: Govind Mohan
• Foreign Secretary: Vikram Misri