Kolkata basks in Nobel glow, again

KOLKATA: As the news broke, Presidency — which has now produced both of India’s economics Nobel winners — was being talked of as “the college Abhijit Banerjee almost didn’t attend”. But the campus was bursting with joy at the feat of its famous alumnus.


Abhijit, who on Monday joined Amartya Sen in the hallowed ranks of economics Nobel laureates from Presidency College (now Presidency University), had initially joined the prestigious Indian Statistical Institute , but left it after a week to pursue economics at Presidency, where his father, Dipak Banerjee, taught the subject.

“We are overjoyed,” said Presidency vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia. “It is surreal — two Indians getting the economics Nobel from the same alma mater.”

There were also several stories being shared on social media, mostly by Abhijit’s contemporaries, about his campus days. One such story goes that once, Dipak Banerjee, exasperated with his class, burst out: “Tomra shob gadhar bachcha (You are all donkey’s offspring)”. Abhijit quipped: “Baba, amio ekhane achhi (I am also here)”... to which Dipak, without batting an eyelid, said: “Toke chhara shob (All but you)”.

“Dipak Banerjee”, said Lohia, was a legendary professor at Presidency, and Abhijit has instituted a lecture series in his name.” She also mentioned Abhijit’s deep relationship with the now 202-year-old venerable College Street institution, starting from his father’s contributions to the way he helped the college become a university.

“Abhijit himself has also been very involved and a guiding force as the college transitioned into a university. His writings reflect a deep sense of pride for his alma mater. In the bicentennial celebrations (of 2017), his wrote on how a college graduated into a university and how Presidency has always remained different because it was formed by secular citizens,” Lohia said.

Abhijit had earlier written that Presidency was possibly the oldest institution of higher education in the world based on secular principles and formed by the citizens of Kolkata, not by any religious group.

Within an hour of the Nobel announcement on Monday afternoon, the university put up a congratulatory message on its website. The university also congratulated Esther Duflo, Abhijit’s co-winner who is his partner, both professionally and in personal life. “We will plan how to honour him once the university reopens,” said Presidency registrar Debajyoti Konar.

Abhijit was a member of the Presidency University mentor group, which hand-held the institution’s journey to becoming a university in 2011. Amartya Sen was the adviser to the chair of the mentor group. He was also instrumental in organising the yearly Dipak Banerjee Memorial Lecture.

“It is a tremendous feeling to know that Abhijit Banerjee has been bestowed with such a great honour,” said Mousumi Dutta, professor and head of the economics department. The Presidency alumni association called Abhijit’s achievement “monumental”. “This proves that even after a generational shift, we produce quality students. We heartily congratulate Esther Duflo and him,” said Bivas Chaudhuri, secretary of the association.