Noted economist Dr Haseeb Drabu to deliver Chelliah Memorial Lecture

Chennai, Jan 22: Noted economist and former Finance Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. Haseeb A. Drabu, is set to deliver the prestigious Dr. Raja J. Chelliah Memorial Lecture on the topic “Federalism in India: Sub-national Architecture for a Regulated Open Economy.”

The event is scheduled for 3:30 pm on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at the Madras School of Economics Auditorium.

The lecture honors the legacy of Dr. Raja J. Chelliah, a towering figure in Indian fiscal policy and economic reforms. He was India’s pioneering and most distinguished public finance economist who laid the foundation for modernizing India’s direct and indirect tax regimes.

Dr Drabu, economist, former finance minister of J&K and Chairman of J&K Bank has contributed significantly to state and national fiscal policy and economic federalism as a part of the Planning Commission, Finance Commission, Economic Advisory Council of the PM and the GST Council.

The Chelliah Memorial lecture has earlier been delivered by highly influential economists, and public policy makers including former RBI Governors Dr C Rangarajan, Dr Y V Reddy and Dr Urijit Patel. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairperson Planning Commission, Vijay Kelkar, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, and Arvind Subramanian, Former Chief Economic Advisor Government of India also have been past speakers and reflected on contemporary issues in public finance and economic policy.