A Tribute to Prof. R. Radhakrishna, Chairman,
Centre for Economic And Social Studies
A treasure trove in economics and econometrics
– he has left a big void with his sudden demise on 28th January 2022. It is difficult to imagine he is no more. I had three interactions after his movement to Visakhapatnam
following his illness. Pandemic did upset him greatly. Even in our brief
interaction, he expressed his deep distress over the impact on the poor and
migrant labour that the pandemic has been causing.
My first association with him was when he
worked with the Agro-Economic Research Centre, Andhra University in the company
of Prof. G. Parthasarathy, a great economist of the times. “Professor
Radhakrishna’s life-long work on Growth, Inequality, Food Security, Poverty,
and wellbeing is widely recognized as illuminating, authentic and credible.”
(Ch. Hanumantha Rao, in a blurb on his book – The Essays on Indian
Economy).
During my association with Farm and Rural
Science Foundation, I invited him to deliver the first J. Raghotham Reddy
Memorial Lecture. He readily agreed and laid a firm foundation for further work
of the FRSF. After my joining Administrative Staff College of India, my
interaction with him became closer. He invited me on a few occasions to talk to
the researchers of CESS on the research ideas and methodologies on credit to
the poor.
When he moved to IGIDR, he associated me for a
meeting to discuss the syllabus of Law And Economics Course. He involved me in
a couple of Committees he chaired: Agricultural Indebtedness and AP
Agriculture. He is a great leader and effective coordinator. His commitment to
research and a concern for the common man, and belief in institutions that could
contribute to the development of the poor, like the cooperatives, FPOs leave an
imprint on the Indian economy.
When I requested him to write a Foreword to my
book on India’s Economic Resurgence, he readily agreed and released it in the
CESS Auditorium.
His erudition on Poverty Studies and Agriculture
gave me immense benefit. My interaction with him at the Andhra University,
University of Hyderabad as Vice Chancellor, as Director, CESS and IGIDR, Chairman,
ICSSR, and Chairman of Indian Society of Agricultural Marketing gave the new
angle in him. He is a great administrator, researcher, a good teacher, affable person, a good
conversationalist, and a great human being. I am sure the galaxy of researchers
built by him would carry on his legacy. I bow to him in all humility. May his
soul rest in peace.
