Sadgati to Padma Shri Bibek Debroy, 25 January 1955 – 1 November 2024, 69. Indian economist. Chairman of the PM’s Economic Advisory Council. Former Member of NITI Aayog. Former President of the Indian Statistical Institute. Former Chancellor of Pune’s Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute. Former Chancellor of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics. Anchor, Itihasa, a show on Sansad TV to discover Bharata, Bharatiya, and Sanatana Sanskriti. Translator (into English), Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Harivamsa, Vedas, and Ramayana. Co-translator with Manmatha Nath Dutt – Puranas – Bhagavata, Markandeya, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahmaanda.
On his hospital bed, he visualized, if he rests: no social loss. No permanent private loss. The only person who would be affected materially is Suparna. Sadgati, Bibek Debroy.
Global liveability index says average quality of life in our big growing cities is very low. Can this be improved? Or should we better the rural areas to have minimal amenities, architecture, and infrastructure for comfortable living including education, health, entertainment, employment et al but in small sized geographies? Should we put a hold on big cities’ mindless expansion?
Can we be at a deliberate, resilient, unwavering and steady pace race to combat climate change? Can we find harmony with nature to coexist and thrive? Can we persist? Can we inspire with data? Can we be transparent? Can we take the cost to near zero?
The farm, consumer, health, soil, and planet climate crises we are facing have affected most of us, but the poor are suffering the most. Poverty is rising. Wellbeing is collapsing. We need to invest to reduce emissions; increase farmers’ and farmworkers’ wellbeing; to offer nutritious healthy food; to improve soil health; to stop using chemicals; all in tandem, simultaneously. With localized and customized ways, methods, tools, and plans.
What should be in NF policy – knowledge, extension, handholding, and troubleshooting architecture? Initial incentives, or post-transformation incentive, reward? Architecture support for fairshare of the consumer rupee, and monetizing remunerative ecocredits? Collectivization, aggregation, local value-addition, traceability, community endorsement, independent verification, certification, and branding? Communitization, community-ownership of post-transformation maintenance, sustainability? Agency of marginalized groups, communities and women? Institutional framework? Anything on consumption, nutrition? MSPs? Awards, recognitions?
The Galileo shift took two generations at least. Are we faster on the N-way paradigm shift? Maybe a generation. Therefore, can we keep nudging in myriad ways? Small tiny tweaks; adjustments in routines, work processes; changes in perspectives. Increased field visits, fieldwork, and field stays. Reading, writing. Daily messaging texts, pictures, and videos. Daily. Can we spend a few hours with each one of our field teams? Can we spare 1000 seconds to reflect every day? Can we have everyone heard by a non-reporting mentor, every week? Can we be kind? Can we document and write a case study, one a month? Can we list all our connections, connect every month/quarter? A million plus a quarter. Can we consume to meet our needs only? Can we keep adjusting ourselves towards our ends?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, keep flowing, being at it. In N? yugayoga for 7L.
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