The Prime Minister has condoled the passing away of noted economist Prof K.N. Raj. The Prime Minister in his condolence message to the Professor's son Mr. Gopal Raj said the passing away of Prof K.N Raj was a great personal loss and recalled his contributions to the nation as a teacher, a researcher and an institution builder.

The text of the Prime Minister's message is as follows:

"It is with great sorrow and a profound sense of personal loss that I learnt of the passing away of your father Prof. K.N. Raj.

I had the privilege of knowing Prof. Raj for over four decades. He was a very close friend and a great economist. His contributions to the science of economics as a teacher, a researcher and an institution builder are immense. At a young age of 27, he was invited by the then Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru to help draft India's First Five Year Plan. In his long and illustrious career, he served the government and many institutions with great distinction. Prof. Raj was a moving force behind the setting up of the Delhi School of Economics and the Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum. He also served as Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University.

The work that Prof. Raj and his colleagues did for the United Nations in the early days of the Centre for Development Studies helped shape the contours of what later came to be called the "Kerala model" of development. The numerous awards that he received are a testimony to his exceptional talent.

Prof. Raj was also a very fine human being. He devoted his life to serving the country and the cause of social justice. He will be deeply missed by all those whose lives he touched.

In this hour of bereavement, please accept my heartfelt condolences. May God give you the strength to bear with your loss. I offer my deepest prayers for peace of the departed soul."