Last modified: Thursday, June 28, 2007
Narendra Jadhav, Indian economist and noted author, visits Indiana University
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2007
Photo by: Chris Meyer
Narendra Jadhav (left), economist and author, talks with Indiana University President-Elect Michael McRobbie.
Editors: Links to print-quality versions of the photographs are included with this release.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Narendra Jadhav, an economist and educational leader in India, and the author of best-selling books about his family's experience overcoming India's caste system, Tuesday (June 26) returned to visit Indiana University, where he met with university administrators and former professors, and toured the campus where he lived for more than four years.
Jadhav -- now vice chancellor of the University of Pune in Maharashtra -- joined the Reserve Bank of India in 1977 and heads its Department of Economic Analysis and Policy today. He also advised the executive director of the International Monetary Fund from 1998 to 2002, and has published nearly 80 journal articles and books about monetary policy, public finance and international economics.
Born in Mumbai in 1953, Jadhav earned a doctorate in economics from IU in 1986. While at IU, he received the Best International Student Award and the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Economic Theory.
"This is the university that gave me the basic grounding to be a professional and also a good human being," he said during a meeting with local media. "I owe so much to this university."
Photo by: Chris Meyer
Narendra Jadhav (left), toured the campus with Patrick O'Meara, dean of international programs.
He is perhaps best known to millions of Indians, particularly many of its 165 million Dalits, for his books Amcha Baap Aan Amhi (Our Father and Us), Outcaste -- Life and Triumphs of an Untouchable Family in India and Untouchables: My Family's Triumphant Journey Out of the Caste System in Modern India.
On Tuesday (June 26), Jadhav toured the IU Bloomington campus and met with Michael A. McRobbie, IU's president-elect; Sumit Ganguly, director of IU's India Studies Program; and Patrick O'Meara, dean for international programs. He also met with two of his former economics professors, George von Furstenberg, now at the National Science Foundation; and Bill Witte, associate professor of economics and co-director of the Center for Econometric Model Research at IU.
Indian filmmaker Vinay Dhumale is directing a film about Jadhav's life and his return to IU was well documented. In addition, Jadhav also met with the media and was interviewed for programs that will be presented on the IU Alumni Association's Web site and Bloomington's National Public Radio affiliate station, WFIU.
Photo by: Chris Meyer
Narendra Jadhav visits the Tudor Room at the Indiana University Memorial Union.
Photo by: Chris Meyer
Sumit Ganguly (from left), and Arvind Verma of IU's India Studies Program as well as Patrick O'Meara, dean of international programs, talk with Narendra Jadhav during his visit to the campus.
