India’s Finance Ministers: From Independence to Emergency (1947-1977)

By A.K. Bhattacharya (Penguin Business: 2023)

About the Book:

Independent India has so far witnessed twenty-eight finance ministers. But only a handful of them could leave their mark on the exchequer or North Block, the headquarters of the Indian finance ministry. From Independence to Emergency: India’s Finance Ministers 1947-1977 is the story of India’s unforgettable finance ministers who shaped India’s economy in the first thirty years after Independence. The book highlights the significant difference that these finance ministers made to the management of the Indian economy and to the policy evolution of the government, and who thus left an indelible mark on the psyche of Indian citizens. It attempts to measure the impact these decisions left, not only on India’s economic system but also on its political system, and looks at to what extent the decisions were influenced by the socio-economic backgrounds of the finance ministers. Full of interesting anecdotes, the book is the first in-depth account of the crucial role these finance ministers have played in the functioning of India’s economy.

Full of interesting anecdotes, the book is the first in-depth account of the crucial role these
Finance ministers have played in the functioning of India’s economy.

Speakers

Dr. Shankar N. Acharya, Former Chief Economic Adviser, GoI

Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Social &Economic Progress & Former Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission

Dr. Nitin Desai, Former Chief Economic Adviser, GoI

Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser, GoI

Shri Mohit Gupta, Founder-Frob (Moderator)

Shri A. K. Bhattacharya, Editorial Director, Business Standard & Author
of the Book