‘Unique experience’: Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee describes his meeting with PM Modi

Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee. (Photo: IANS)


Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, who had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, described his meeting with the PM as a ‘unique experience’.

Abhijit Banerjee, who, along with his wife Esther Duflo, and Harvard University professor Michael Kremer, jointly won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize on October 14, said that he was privileged to have met Prime Minister Modi.

“I am really privileged to have met the PM and he was kind enough to give me a lot of time. He talked a lot about his way of thinking about India which is quite unique. He is trying to reform the bureaucracy to make it more responsive,” said Abhijit Banerjee after meeting PM Modi.

Earlier in the day, Abhijit Banerjee had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after which the PM tweeted that the two had a “healthy and extensive interaction” on various subjects, adding that India is proud of Abhijit Banerjee’s accomplishments.

“Excellent meeting with Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee. His passion towards human empowerment is clearly visible. We had a healthy and extensive interaction on various subjects. India is proud of his accomplishments. Wishing him the very best for his future endeavours,” PM Modi tweeted after the meeting.

Banerjee, while addressing the media suggested reducing government equity in public sector banks to below 51 per cent in order to end the fear psychosis of bankers. He, however, refused to take many questions on the economy or “contentious” issues.