University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor NK Lokanath (fifth from left) releases Debates on Contemporary Development in India: A Festschrift in Honor of Late Economist Prof. VK Natraje at the event organized by the research and extension center Dr. BR Ambedkar and the Department of Economics and Cooperation, University of Mysore, in December. | Photo credit: MA Sriram
University of Mysore (UoM) Vice-Chancellor NK Lokanath published Contemporary Development Debates in India: A Festschrift in honor of late economist Prof. VK Natraje at the event organized by the research and extension center Dr. BR Ambedkar and the Department of Economics and Cooperation, Uom.
The volume contains 17 well-researched papers that address contemporary development challenges across four broad themes: Inclusive Development, Sectoral Perspectives on Development, Decentralization and the Policy Landscape, and Stimulating New Development Debates.
After the release of the book at the Vishwajnani Auditorium on December 20, Prof. Lokanath said the essays deal with policy interventions for women, tribal communities, poverty and employment, education with special reference to the right to education, outcomes of public investment in social sectors, employability concerns among engineering graduates, urban development and population pressures, the Swachh Bharat budget and development finance.
“They also critically examine the effectiveness of devolved governance after the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments and question the political dimensions of development,” he said.
Prof. Lokanath described Prof. Nataraje as “an eminent scholar whose life and work have left a lasting imprint on the field of development economics and public policy discourse in India”.
The academic journey of the late economist, who studied his early education at the UoM and later at Pembroke College, Oxford, where he obtained several degrees in economics, was “both rich and inspiring”.
Prof. Natraj was closely associated with the Institute of Development Studies, Mysuru for more than three decades, serving with distinction as Lecturer, Reader, Professor and Director. He also served as Registrar at UoM and subsequently as Director of the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), Chennai.
Published – 20 Dec 2025 20:18 IST
