Memories of Montek Singh Ahluwalia and his wife Isher Judge Ahluwalia

I have met Montek Singh Ahluwalia just once - at the launch of Deepak Lal's book Reviving the Invisible Hand: The Case for Classical Liberalism in the Twenty-first Century at the India International Centre in Nude Elly. By the time Montek, then Deputy Chairman of our Planning Commission, entered the room - late, of course - the dais was occupied by Lal and Swaminathan Aiyar of The Economic Times. Upon seeing Montek, Swami said:

Hey! Montek! How come you wear blue turbans in Delhi and pink ones in Washington DC?

Interesting, what?


Speaking on this important book by India's greatest living free-market economist, Montek mumbled this and that, admitting he had not had the time to read the book as yet. I wanted to ask him whether he had read any of Lal's previous books - like The Poverty of "Development Economics" which asserted that poverty was sustained - and would be eternally perpetuated - by this pseudo-science. But the moderator closed the session down.


As for Isher Judge Ahluwalia, my first encounter with her was over the telephone, during the days when I was Editor of "The Tuesday Debate" on the op-ed page of The Economic Times. Every week, I had to choose a topic of debate and three debaters. For that week, I had decided upon Isher and, after obtaining her number from one of the secretaries, dialled it - and her secretary picked up. She was then Director-General of the Indian Council for International Economic Relations (ICRIER). I told her secretary who I was and why I was calling. But, as soon as Isher came on the line, she asked me if I would be willing to write a paper for her! Thereafter, our conversation went as follows:

Me:        A paper on what?

Isher:    Poverty.

Me:        But I am NOT interested in poverty!

Isher:    What interests you then?

Me:         Prosperity!

Isher:     But poverty is a huge industry!

Interesting, what?


I actually met Isher Judge Ahluwalia just once, some years later, at a student seminar organised by the Centre for Civil Society (CCS). I was the second speaker of the day, but I came in early to hear her. She spoke what these students hear in their classrooms every day, and she lauded all the professors who taught her at the Delhi School of (Mathematical) Economics. I wondered as to why CCS had invited her at all - that too, as the Chief Guest.


After her talk, there was a group photograph - but I decided not to be at the centre of the group alongside her, standing on the extreme right instead. One of the students asked as to why I was not standing next to the Chief Guest. My answer:

I am on her Extreme Right.