Bibek Debroy as I knew him: Economist, philosopher, history buff ...

"Did you know I was born and brought up in your state capital?" Bibek Debroy once asked me, with a nostalgic echo in his voice. Surprised, I replied, "You're from Assam?" He nodded, "Yes, back when Shillong was part of Assam."

In 2015, after joining the newly established NITI Aayog as a Member, Debroy returned to Shillong, now Meghalaya's capital. Amid official meetings, he found time to wander the narrow lanes of Pynthorumkhrah, seeking out fragments of his childhood. He later shared a cherished image on social media-a green-roofed, Assam-style house, capturing memories from his early years, 1955 to 1965. Beneath that tin roof, he had once played-and yes, dreamed.

Debroy, a distinguished economist and chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, passed away in New Delhi on Friday morning at the age of 69. Debroy's academic journey took him through Presidency College, Kolkata, the Delhi School of Economics, and Trinity College, Cambridge. He taught economics at Presidency and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in Delhi and served in the Union Ministry of Finance. Yet, his true passion lay beyond economics, in the rich realms of Indian history and culture, devoting himself to translating the great Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as well as Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas, Puranas, and more. His monumental translations are a treasure trove, preserving the essence of India's civilization for generations to cherish.

For any reporter with direct access to Debroy, he was an invaluable resource across a vast spectrum-from economics and Indology to railway reforms. Notably, it was his 2014 expert panel that first recommended the chairman of the Railway Board be re-designated as CEO-a change that now enables Indian Railways to expedite decision-making to an extent.

Debroy's views and newspaper columns stood out for two compelling reasons. One, he had a knack for seamlessly weaving philosophical insights into his macroeconomic analyses. Two, he spoke with refreshing candour-calling a spade a spade, even if it meant criticising the very government in which he held an influential role.

Take, for instance, his column in ET Magazine on May 10, 2020. Drawing on Greek mythology, Debroy favoured a phased easing of lockdown restrictions to avoid a severe economic fallout.

"The Scylla/Charybdis metaphor is apt," he wrote, "because Homer's account tells us what Odysseus did. He passed closer to the sea monster Scylla and lost a few sailors, rather than lose the entire ship through proximity to Charybdis." He concluded poignantly: "At the moment, the ship has inched a bit away from Charybdis," meaning the economy would survive, though the partial easing of the lockdown would likely lead to an uptick in Covid cases.

Fast-forward to March 2024. As I was reporting for a feature on "missing monuments" after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) delisted 18 untraceable sites-ranging from a minaret in Gurgaon to a copper temple in Arunachal Pradesh-my first thought was to seek Debroy's insights. While I knew he harboured concerns about the preservation of our monuments and the smuggling of idols, I was unsure he would go on record criticising the ASI.

To my surprise, he did, addressing the issue head-on. "ASI was set up in 1861. Is it supposed to excavate, or is it supposed to protect?" he questioned openly in ET on March 31, 2024. "Can the ASI hope to accomplish both objectives simultaneously? If the answer is yes, does ASI possess adequate human and financial resources for protection? Clearly not." He cut to the core of the issue: too much on the ASI's plate, and far too little support.

For me, that was Bibek Debroy-a remarkable blend of deep economic insight, philosophical wisdom, and profound expertise in Indian culture, heritage, and civilization. Above all, he had an independent mind, unafraid to ruffle feathers and, at times, put the government in a tough spot.