<p>Dr PJ Thomas was one of the rare breeds of economists who made a difference in modern India’s history. A product of Oxford, he served as economic advisor to the governments of both, British India Government (1942-1947) and independent India led by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and represented India to sign the United Nations charter invites inaugural session held in San Francisco in 1945. He strode like a colossus in economic thinking on the eve of India’s independence. His observations in the sphere of general sales tax, population growth, rural employment guarantee, land reforms, green revolution, local self government, co-operatives and rural indebtedness turned out to be prophetic. Independent India saw most of his innovative ideas becoming a reality. The much touted MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was originally the brain child of Thomas, who mooted it in one of his works during early 1930s.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>This book based on ten years of research on the life and contribution of Dr PJ Thomas covers his monumental contributions as an academic, teacher, economist, administrator, author and parliamentarian. The book will be useful for researchers and post graduate students of economics. It is also a treasure mine of information for policymakers, bankers, tax experts, central bankers, and those who are interested in the study of federal finance in India.</p>

<p>This well-researched book is valuable since it captures the life and work of Dr PJ Thomas, a scholar, a parliamentarian, and a writer, both in the pre-Independence and the post-Independence period.&nbsp; His position in the executive branches and the membership of legislative branches and parliamentary bodies of the Central government and State governments makes his biography unique, informative, insightful and very readable.<br /> <strong>— Y Venugopal Reddy,</strong> <em>Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Story of PJ Thomas: An Unsung Economist, on the basis of research for ten years, provides a graphic account of the original thoughts and valuable economic policy contributions of Dr PJ Thomas.&nbsp; Students of Indian economic history will find in the 15 chapters of the book much valuable material on different aspects of the Indian political economy at the time of Independence. Dr EM Thomas deserves to be felicitated for his thoughtful contribution.<br /> <strong>— KL Krishna,</strong> <em>Former Director, Delhi School of Economics;<br /> &nbsp; &nbsp; Chairperson, Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>How remarkable that a well-versed academic who was chosen to serve as the first Economic Adviser for the Government of India and was deputed to sign for India the vital document of the League of Nations should have donated all his wealth for the welfare measures like healthcare and education for the poor people in his homeland of Kochi in Kerala. This is, in fact, what marked the pious life of Dr PJ Thomas. All of us need to remember and admire such a person as a gift of God to the society to which he belonged. It is indeed gratifying that a book is being brought out to record the attitudes and achievements of Dr Thomas.<br /> <strong>— Vishwanath Pandit,</strong><em> Former Vice-Chancellor,&nbsp;<br /> &nbsp; &nbsp; Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Dr EM Thomas has written a loving, painstaking history of the contributions of one of India’s early and thoughtful economists Dr PJ Thomas. From one Thomas to another, great service is rendered to Kerala and India as a result.<br /> <strong>— Arvind Subramanian,</strong> <em>Visiting Lecturer, Harvard University;<br /> &nbsp; &nbsp; Non-Resident Senior Fellow, PIIE; Former Chief Economic Adviser, Govt. of India.</em></p>