The noted labour economist Dr. TS Papola passed away in Delhi at the age of 74. A founder Member, former director and currently honorary professor at the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), New Delhi, Dr. Papola was also chairman, Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow; founder member of the Institute for Human Development (IHD), New Delhi and Chairman of the Fourth State Finance Commission of Uttarakhand.

Who is TS Papola?

• He was an Advisor with the Planning Commission, Government of India for eight years (1987-1995) and Chairman/Member of several State and National level bodies including the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on MSMEs.
• He worked in consultative and advisory capacities with international organisations such as ILO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNICEF and UNDP.
• Dr. Papola was president, Indian Society of Labour Economics, an association of teachers, researchers and practitioners in the field of labour in India, during 1994-2008.
• He was also president of the Indian Economic Association, for the year 2005–2006. Dr. Papola was awarded VKRV Rao Young Social Scientist Prize for outstanding contribution in Economics in 1984.
• He was also conferred VKRV Rao Lifetime Achievement Award for contribution to Social Science by the Indian Social Science Association and Kautilya Award by the UP-Uttarakhand Economic Association in 2007.
• A well-known development economist, Dr. Papola specialised in the areas of labour and employment, development planning, industrial economics, regional development and enterprise development.
• He taught at the Universities of Lucknow and Bombay, Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), and University of Cambridge, U.K.