The CSES family is bereaved by the passing of our beloved Founding Chairperson, Prof. (Dr.) K. K. George (KKG), on the 11th of August, 2022. He leaves an irreplaceable vacuum in our lives as an academic par excellence, a mentor and a guide.
Professor George’s contribution as a specialist in Public Finance, especially in the area of Centre-State financial relations and on Kerala Development issues is well known. His iconic research work, “Limits to Kerala Model of Development”, is a book all students of Kerala Economy are familiar with. His other major book was Essays in Public Finance (along with Prof IS Gulati).
Professor George, after his graduation from Union Christian College, Aluva and post-graduation from Madras Christian College, started his career a banker. After twelve years stint as an officer in the State Bank of India, he moved to academics as faculty at the School of Management Studies at Cochin University of Science and Technology from where he retired as the Director. Positions he held in the past include: Emeritus Professor, AICTE; Senior Fulbright Fellow, University of Maryland and Centre for Federalism, Temple University, USA; Fellow of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Canada at St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada; Member of the Advisory Board, Kerala State Planning Board; Visiting Fellow, CDS; Senior Fellow, ICSSR; Member-Expenditure Commission, Government of Kerala; Member-Working Group on Expenditure Policy, Planning Commission; Member, Board of Directors of the Federal Bank & Paravur Central Bank and Cochin Stock Exchange; Advisor to the Government of West Bengal for preparing the memorandum to the Sarkaria Commission.
The autobiography of KKG, “A Journal of My Life”, was released a few days before his demise, on 23rd July, 2022. The book was released by former Kerala Finance Minister, Dr. T M Thomas Issac. Dr. Issac, while addressing the gathering pointed out that Kerala is grateful to Prof. K K George for his contributions in shaping the development path of the state. To know more about the event please click here.