Veteran scholar Prof KL Krishna receives Padma Shri for contributions in education and research

Renowned economist and scholar Prof Kosaraju Leela Krishna received the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu at the Civil Investiture Ceremony II, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 27.

The event was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Hailing from Unguturu village in Krishna district, Prof Krishna is widely respected in academic circles, where he is affectionately known as ‘KL’ or ‘KLK.’

His work in applied econometrics, industrial economics, and regional economic studies has significantly influenced Indian economic thought.

Krishna’s academic journey began with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Andhra University, followed by an M.Sc. in statistics from Kerala University.

He later studied under eminent statistician Prof CR Rao at the Indian Statistical Institute and earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago as a Fulbright Scholar.

He began teaching at the Delhi School of Economics in 1958 and held numerous key positions, including director of DSE, chairman of CESS in Hyderabad, and MIDS in Chennai.

He also served as president of the Indian Econometric Society and was the founding editor of the Journal of Quantitative Economics.

From 2013 to 2022, Krishna led the India KLEMS Productivity Project at DSE, a major research initiative funded by the Reserve Bank of India that contributed to the development of national productivity statistics.

Though he officially retired in 2000, he continued teaching until 2010.

His enduring contributions to education, research, and policy have earned him a lasting place in India’s academic landscape, culminating in national recognition with the Padma Shri.