Eminent economist B.P.R Vithal passes away

B.P.R. Vithal, (1AS, 1950 batch), passed away early morning on 19th June. He was 93.

Vithal was secretary, finance and planning, the government of Andhra Pradesh from 1972 to 1982; Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board and Member, Tenth Finance Commission. He was also Chairman, Expenditure Commission, Government of Kerala. He had a brief stint at the International Monetary Fund as Fiscal Advisor to the governments of Sudan and Malawi. He established the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad.

His father, Professor B.V. Rama Narasu, was principal, Warangal Arts College and professor of economics, Nizam College. Educated at Madrasa-e-Aliya high school, Hyderabad, Vithal graduated from Madras Christian College and joined the Hyderabad Civil Service in 1949, qualifying for the IAS in 1950. In 1942 Vithal quit his under-graduate studies at Nizam College, Hyderabad, attended the Quit India session of the Indian National Congress in Mumbai and immersed himself in the national movement. On Gandhiji's advice, written on a post card that Vithal preserved with care, he returned to his studies at Madras where he was the first Indian president of the MCC students' union to fly the Indian tricolor.

Vithal has many publications to his credit. His essay titled "The Telangana Surpluses: A Case Study" played an influential role in shaping the demand for a separate state of Telangana. In 1960, Vithal was deputed to be registrar of Osmania University. Over his long retired life Vithal was associated with many social organisations and causes including the Nizam's trust, Hyderabad Literary Society and Jana Vignana Vedika. He is survived by his wife Seshu, daughter Nivedita Kumar, sons Sanjaya Baru and Chaitanya Baru.