Isher Judge Ahluwalia, ‘An Icon For Women Economists’, Dies
Ahluwalia’s work spanned economic growth, productivity, industrial and trade policy reforms, and urban planning and development.
Renowned economist and Padma Bhushan awardee Isher Judge Ahluwalia died Saturday battling brain cancer.
Ahluwalia, 74, was chairperson emeritus on the board of New Delhi based think-tank Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). In 2009 she was awarded the Padma Bhushan award—third highest civilian honour—for her work in the fields of education and literature.
Ahluwalia’s work spanned the fields of economic growth, productivity, industrial and trade policy reforms, and urban planning and development. She served on several national and international committees and boards over her career, including as chairperson of the board of trustees of IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute), Washington D.C., from 2003 to 2006, chairperson of the High Powered Expert Committee on Urban Infrastructure and Services during 2008-11, member on the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council.
A PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Isher Judge Ahluwalia, did her B.A. from Presidency College, Calcutta University and her M.A. from the Delhi School of Economics.
Among the few women economists of her time, Ahluwalia has served as an inspiration for many women across academia.
“Isher was and will continue to be an icon for women economists,” Geeta Gouri, former member of the Competition Commission of India, was quoted as saying in a statement issued by ICRIER. She added that Ahluwalia would proudly declare ICRIER owes much of its success to the favourable gender balance, with 70% percent women as employees.
She was married to former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The couple has two sons -- Pavan and Aman.
“She was a rare academic, combining administrative skills with academic embellishment,” 15th Finance Commission Chairman N.K. Singh tweeted.
Agriculture economist and Ahluwalia’s colleague from ICRIER Ashok Gulati called her an inspiration for the think-tank and appreciated her contribution to quality research.
Ahluwalia authored several academic papers and books, among them two seminal works Industrial Growth In India: Stagnation since the Mid-Sixties and Productivity and Growth in Indian Manufacturing. Earlier this year, her autobiography Breakthrough recounted her journey from a young policy economist to an institution builder leading ICRIER.