R. J. Chellaiah | |
|---|---|
| Born | Raja Jesudoss Chelliah 12 December 1922 |
| Died | 7 April 2009(2009-04-07) (aged 86) |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, Founding Chairman ofMadras School of Economics |
| Spouse | Sita Chelliah |
| Children | Two daughters |
Raja Jesudoss Chelliah (12 December 1922 – 7 April 2009) was an economist and founding chairman of theMadras School of Economics. He completed an MA in economics from theUniversity of Madras and PhD in the United States. He worked as the chief of the Fiscal Analysis Division, Fiscal Affairs Department,International Monetary Fund between 1969 and 1975. He served as a consultant to the government ofPapua New Guinea on Centre Provincial Financial Relations. He also worked in several state and central government financial institutions in India. He was considered a public finance expert in India, instrumental in bringing about the early reforms to the direct taxation structure. He was awardedPadma Vibushan in 2007.[1][2] He is often referred to as "The Father of Tax Reforms".[3]
He was born on 12 December 1922. His father Chelliah Nadar was his greatest inspiration. He graduated with a master's degree in economics fromUniversity of Madras and worked as a lecturer inMadras Christian College for five years before going to the United States on aFulbright scholarship to do a PhD at theUniversity of Pittsburgh. He was married to Sita Chelliah with whom he had two daughters. He died on 7 April 2009.[4]
Upon his return from the United States, he worked as a senior economist at the National Council ofApplied Economic Research, New Delhi between 1958 and 1961. He was a reader and professor at the Department of Economics ofUniversity of Rajasthan between 1961-1966 and professor of economics atOsmania University between 1966 and 1969. He was invited to work with theInternational Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. and worked as a chief of Fiscal Analysis Division, Fiscal Affairs Department between 1969 and 1975. He was the founding director of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy between 1976 and 1985. He was a member of thePlanning Commission between 1985-1990 and also member of the Finance Commission from 1987 to 1989. He served as chairman of Tax Reforms Committee ofUnion Government between 1991 and 1993 and as chairman of the Tax Reforms and Revenue Augmentation Commission inTamil Nadu during 2002-2003[5][6]
