Indian-Origin Economist Raj Chetty Won John Bates Clark Medal For 2013

Delhi-born Raj Chetty, the professor in the Department of Economy at the Harvard University won John Bates Clark medal for 2013, also called Baby Nobel. Raj Chetty’s work was also cited by the US President Barack Obama in State of the Union Address.

John Bates Clark medal is conferred upon the American economist whose age is below 40 years and the one who has made crucial contribution to economic knowledge and thought. Baby Nobel is one of the most prestigious awards of economy. Infact, it is second only after Nobel Prize in economic science.

Raj Chetty, 33, is the first Indian-origin person to win this high honour. His areas of work include social insurance, tax policy as well as education policy.

American Economic Association Honors and Awards Committee described that Raj Chetty’s contributions assimilate evidence by making use of various methodological perspectives in order to find out answers of public policy questions.

Raj Chetty graduated from Harvard University in 2000. He completed the PhD from Harvard University in 2003.

About the John Bates Clark medal

• John Bates Clark medal used to be conferred upon the economists biennially from 1947-2009.
• From 2010 onwards, the medal started being given annually.
• Notable winners from the past include Paul Samuelson, Joseph Stiglitz, Paul Krugman and Milton Friedman. All these are also the Nobel laureates.
• This award is also known as Baby Nobel because a lot of winners of John Bates Clark medal have also won the Nobel awards.