Raja Chelliah

Who was Raja Chelliah?

Raja Jesudoss Chelliah was an economist and founding chairman of the Madras School of Economics. He completed an MA in economics from the University of Madras and PhD in the United States. He worked as the chief of the Fiscal Analysis Division, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund between 1969 and 1975. He served as a consultant to the government of Papua New Guinea on Centre Provincial Financial Relations. He also worked in several state and central government financial institutions in India. He was considered a public finance expert in India, instrumental in bringing about the early reforms to the direct taxation structure. He was awarded Padma Vibushan in 2007. He is often referred to as "The Father of Tax Reforms".