Nirmala Banerjee, the mother of the Noble laureate, Abhijit Banerjee, praises her son for being the right amount grateful without a trace of showing off. Nirmala also credits Abhijit’s father for his well-balanced life and attitude towards awards and criticism.
Nirmala Banerjee is a retired Economics professor, she says the Noble Prize is not something to be overjoyed or dancing about. She says, “I don’t think that is something one should go on dancing about. Ok. He’s got some good work, he has got some recognition. We’re all happy about it. That’s it”.
Nirmala says that his husband, and Abhijit’s father, late Dipak Banerjee, a London School of Economics alumni and legendary professor of Economics at Presidency University’s, rationality and sobriety had rubbed off well on Abhijit. “Abhijit’s father was also very rational, very sober, very matured person. And we all in our way try to model ourselves after him. He was a very wonderful man. And we are a close family, that’s it, she said.
The Noble Economics Prize Winner has been on his toes since the prize announcement. Abhijit Banerjee shares the prize with two other economists, Esther Duflo, his wife, and Michael Kremer. He has several interviews, programmes, a book release function and meetings lined up for his first visit to India after the Noble Prize announcement.
While Nirmala Banerjee hasn’t had much time to talk to his son, she is not worried about it. According to her, Abhijit had last met his mother in July, so for her, it isn’t a long gap. She does plan to prepare or order his son’s favourite dishes for when he arrives.
