Chelliah, Raja J.

Raja J Chelliah (1922 2009) was one of India s most respected economists, referred to as the Father of Tax Reforms by his peers. Dr Chelliah is best known for his work as Chairman of the Tax Reforms Committee between 1991 and 1993, which set out a roadmap for reducing import duties. This paved the way for liberalisation in India. A specialist in public finance and an institutional builder, Dr Chelliah founded the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy in 1976 and built it up into a full-fledged research institution in fiscal matters. He also founded the Madras School of Economics and