Renowned economist Ashok Lahiri and scientist Gobardhan Das have been selected for key positions in NITI Aayog, with Lahiri set to become vice-chairman and Das appointed as a member, according to government sources. Formal announcements of their appointments are expected shortly.
Lahiri, who currently serves as a BJP MLA in West Bengal, brings decades of experience in economic policymaking. He has previously held the role of chief economic advisor to the Government of India and was also a member of the 15th Finance Commission. Despite his political position, he is not contesting the ongoing Assembly elections in the state. His appointment would place him as the second-ranking figure in NITI Aayog after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chairs the institution.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Lahiri has worked across national and international policy platforms, including engagements with organisations such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the IMF. An alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics and Presidency University, he is widely regarded as one of India’s senior economists with deep expertise in fiscal policy and governance.
Gobardhan Das, currently director of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, is an internationally recognised scientist specialising in immunology, infectious diseases, and cell biology. Before taking up his current role, he served as a professor and chaired the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
Das has built a distinguished academic career through research and collaborations across global institutions, including Yale University, Houston Methodist Hospital, and research bodies in South Africa such as KwaZulu-Natal University and the National Research Foundation. His work on the pathogenesis of tuberculosis has earned international recognition.
An alumnus of Visva-Bharati University, Das’s journey is also marked by significant personal challenges. Born into a family of refugees from Bangladesh, he grew up in difficult circumstances in West Bengal and pursued his education under limited resources, eventually rising to prominence in the global scientific community.
The selection of Lahiri and Das places two individuals from West Bengal in influential national policymaking roles, reflecting the state’s continued contribution to intellectual and institutional leadership in India. Their appointments come at a time when political competition in the state remains intense, adding further significance to their elevation within national governance structures.
