Meghnad Desai, Renowned Economist and Labour Party Veteran, Passes Away at 85

Speedy Summary

• meghnad Desai, Indian-origin economist and former UK House of Lords member, passed away in London on July 29, 2025, at age 85.
• Born in Vadodara, Gujarat, on July 10, 1940, Desai studied economics at the University of Mumbai and completed his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.
• He contributed significantly to academia during his tenure at the London School of Economics (LSE) from 1965 to 2003 and founded the Center for the Study of Global Governance in 1992.
• Elevated to UK peerage as Lord Desai of St clement Danes in 1991; he initially aligned with Labor but later moved to crossbenches for ideological independence.
• Authored over a dozen books including Marx’s Revenge, India Grows at Night, and Nehru’s Hero.
• Advocated democratic capitalism paired with strong institutions and social safety nets.
• Awarded India’s third-highest civilian honor, the Padma Bhushan, in 2008 for contributions to public affairs and economics.
• Tributes poured in from around the world after his death; Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised him as a “distinguished thinker,” while Raghuram Rajan called him a “fearless intellect.”

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Indian Opinion Analysis

Meghnad Desai’s life symbolized intellectual versatility that transcended geographical boundaries. From analyzing India’s growth trajectory post-liberalization to influencing global economic thought thru his time at LSE, he left an indelible mark on academic discourse. His ability to engage with opposing ideologies-ranging from Marxism to market-driven capitalism-demonstrated an openness critical for tackling contemporary policy debates.

His contributions are particularly meaningful as India strives toward balancing rapid growth with addressing structural inequality-the very issues that motivated much of Desai’s work. Furthermore,his role in strengthening India-UK relations adds diplomatic importance as these two nations continue deepening their ties amidst shifting geopolitical priorities.

Desai’s moderate yet reformist approach provides lasting lessons: pragmatism need not dilute bold ideas nor should ideological independence be mistaken for compromise. As academics pay tribute globally, India has lost one of its sharpest voices capable of summarizing its unique dichotomies between tradition and modernity.