Perspectives on Development

Memoirs of a Development Economist

V.V. Bhatt

Perspectives on Development is a memoir of V.V. Bhatt, a distinguished economist and successful public servant. The book reflects on his contributions to economics and his role in the development of economic research in India. His work appeared in leading international economics journals, covering different aspects of the discipline.

Rather than focusing on self-praise, Bhatt places his personal and professional experiences within the context of the Indian economics profession of his time. He discusses the influence of his teachers at Harvard, including J. Schumpeter, W. Leontief, A. Hansen and A. Gerschenkron, and how their ideas shaped his approach to economic research.

The memoir also traces the evolution of economics as a rigorous social discipline in India, moving beyond the largely descriptive approaches of the pre-war period. It offers an account of how the Research Department of the Reserve Bank of India established a significant position in economic research, gaining recognition alongside older central banks in the United States and Europe.

Key Features

• Presents the memoirs of economist and public servant V.V. Bhatt.

• Reflects on the evolution of economics as a discipline in India.

• Discusses the influence of leading Harvard economists on Bhatt's intellectual development.

• Explores contributions to development economics, including capital-output ratios, choice of techniques and growth theories.

• Examines the development of economic research within the Reserve Bank of India.

• Offers insights into the relationship between economic research, public service and policy-making.

Product Details 

• Author: V.V. Bhatt

• Publisher: Academic Foundation

• Publication Year: 2008

• Language: English

• Format: Hardcover

• Pages: 136

• ISBN-13: 9788171886838