Padma Bhushan awardee and noted agricultural economist Vijay Shankar Vyas passed away on Wednesday here after a brief illness, a family member said.

He was 87.

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The last rites will be performed at the Lal Kothi crematorium, his elder son Vikram Vyas said.

Shankar Vyas is survived by his wife and two sons.

He had held several prestigious, professional and leadership positions in national and international organisations.

The economist was the director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Jaipur.

He was also a senior advisor in the World Bank’s agriculture and rural development department.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot condoled Vyas’s demise.

“Deeply saddened by the demise of noted agricultural economist and Padma Bhushan Vijay Shankar Vyas. His work was acclaimed world over.

“With his passing Rajasthan and especially Bikaner has lost one of its leading sources of inspiration. My condolences to the family,” Raje said in a tweet.

Gehlot said Vyas contribution in forming the state’s and country’s economic and public welfare policy was immense.

He was the vice president of the state planning board during my tenure as Rajasthan chief minister and will be remembered for his talent, soft-spoken and social personality, Gehlot said in his condolence message.

He prayed peace for the departed soul and courage for the family members to bear the loss.