Economist,academician K N Raj dead

Raj,who was the financial adviser to prime ministers from Nehru to Narasimha Rao,had played a pivotal role in shaping the economic policies in the first decade after Independence.

Born in Thrissur district,Raj completed his BA from Madras University. After obtaining PhD from London School of Economics,he had a brief stint in the editorial of a Colombo-based English daily. In the 1940’s,he joined the RBI. As assistant chief of the economic division at the Planning Board,he co-authored and penned the foreward for the first five-year plan. As the only economist in the first Planning Commission,his suggestions gained a special weight in the government’s policy formulation.

After working with the Planning Commission for three years,Raj taught Economics at the University of Delhi for the next 18 years. He was instrumental in establishing the Delhi School of Economics. In 1969,he became the vice-chancellor of the university.

In 1972,with the support of I S Gulati and K N Krishna Raj,he established the Centre for Developmental Studies in Thiruvananthapuram.

Though not directly involved in the planning process in Kerala,Raj held a considerable sway on shaping developmental strategies in his home state for the last three decades. He was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 2000.

“Raj advocated for democratic decentralisation and local-level planning. His studies had a seminal influence on Kerala economy,” said Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Issac.

Former planning board member C P John said,“Raj told the world how Communist ideology had trickled down to the economy.”