Lord Meghnad Desai, the esteemed economist, author, and member of the UK’s House of Lords, passed away at the age of 85. Known for his intellectual contributions and strong Indian heritage, Lord Desai left a lasting impact on both economic thought and public life in the UK and India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Lord Desai on X, sharing a photo and writing:
“Anguished by the passing away of Shri Meghnad Desai Ji, a distinguished thinker, writer and economist. He always remained connected to India and Indian culture. He also played a role in deepening India-UK ties. Will fondly recall our discussions, where he shared his valuable insights. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.”
Sanjeev Sanyal, economist and member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, also expressed his sorrow saying, “Very sorry to hear that eminent economist Meghnad Desai has passed away. I had known him for over two decades. He was always cheerful and open to new ideas. I will cherish the many long discussions and debates that we had over the years.
Just three months before his death, Lord Desai made headlines for urging the Indian government to take control of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 civilian lives. Calling the attack “incredibly cruel,” he said India must respond “absolutely forcefully” and asserted that PoK rightfully belonged to India due to the instrument of accession signed by the former king of Jammu and Kashmir.
A former Labour peer in the UK’s House of Lords, he resigned from the party in 2020 citing issues of racism. His legacy spans economics, politics, and a lifelong engagement with India’s place in global affairs.
As the Chair of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust Lord Desai was instrumental to the installation of the Mahatma Gandhi statute at the Parliament Square in London which was unveiled in 2015. For the inauguration ceremony, Lord and Lady Desai were joined by UK’s then Prime Minister David Cameron and India’s then Finance Minister (late) Arun Jaitley, along with Gandhi’s grandson, the former Governor of West Bengal, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, and Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan.
Remembering a longtime friend
CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, also reflected on his decades-long friendship with Lord Meghnad Desai, recalling memories from their early days in Vadodara:
“I’ve known Lord Meghnad Desai since his Vadodara days. He and his family lived in Limbach Bhuvan, opposite Khanderao Market. A brilliant student, he later moved abroad for higher education. As a young and exceptional academic at the London School of Economics, he rose to become a renowned Professor of Econometrics.”
He continued, “He became a Labour Party activist and a leader in Islington, north London. In 1982 or 1983, he was unexpectedly chosen by then-Labour Leader Mr Smith to become the party’s spokesperson in the House of Lords, where he was appointed as a peer. Before Indian independence, Lord Sinha held such a title. In the 1970s, Pratap Chitnis, Treasurer of the Liberal Party, became the first person of Indian origin to be appointed to the Lords, followed by Shreela Flather of the Conservative Party, and then Meghnad Desai.”
Lord Navnit Dholakia also paid tribute to Lord Desai, sharing, “Meghnad was a close acquaintance and friend. His younger brother, Ashutosh, was my college friend and also a professor in the USA—sadly, he too has passed away. I have lost a dear friend.”
“Meghnad Desai was a great personal friend and a brilliant Economist. I knew him well before I was appointed to the House of Lords. My earliest recollection was meeting him at the LSE at various meetings there. He was a brilliant scholar and a very good public speaker.
“He first came to his prominence when canvassing for the Labour Party on the door steps and became a great friend of John Smith the Labour Leader who appointed him as his Economics spokesperson. He was not afraid to speak on various issues confronting the Lords. Often without notes he can hold you spellbound with his vocabulary.
“I felt honoured to be invited to his later wedding reception as the only Liberal Democrat with that predominantly labour colleagues.
“Meghnad was popular and sought after by Journalists both in India and UK.
“I shall miss him greatly. He has left a legacy which will be difficult to fill. He was a man of great principles and left the Labour Party to join the Cross Benchers. My condolences to his dear wife and family.”
