New Delhi / PM Modi meets Nobel winner Abhijit Banerjee, says India is proud of his achievements

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, who won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Economics at the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence of the PM. Meeting the noted economist, PM Modi tweeted, "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.

India Today : Oct 22, 2019, 02:21 PM

Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, who won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Economics, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence of the Prime Minister.

Indian-American Abhijit Banerjee, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), won the Nobel in economics, jointly with economists Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer, for their work on "experimental approach to alleviating global poverty".

Meeting the noted economist, PM Modi tweeted, "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."

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. pic.twitter.com/SQFTYgXyBX
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 22, 2019

Abhijit Banerjee's prestigious win has triggered a war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Opposition. The noted economist who studied at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in his younger days helped conceptualise Congress's Lok Sabha election promise of providing a minimum income support to the weaker section.

While Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, reminded the world about the ambitious Nyay scheme while congratulating Abhijit Banerjee, BJP leaders took digs at the economist for being "Left-leaning".

Union minister Piyush Goyal called Banerjee "Left-leaning" and said he had supported 'Nyay' and that the people of India rejected his ideology.

Speaking to India Today TV after winning the Nobel Prize, Abhijit Banerjee has said that JNU had taught him the politics of India while his childhood in Kolkata showed him what poverty is.