Chairman - IESJ

Chairman of the Trust and Institute

Prof K.S.Chalam is the chairman of the Trust and is Ex-officio Chairman of the Institute. Prof Chalam is a well-known Scholar, Social Scientist and Public Servant in the country. He served as Professor of Economics and founder Director of Academic Staff College, Andhra University. He served as the Vice-chancellor of Dravidian University for a short period and resigned and joined as Hon Member, Union Public Service Commission, a Constitutional authority in 2005. He demitted office in 2011 and was requested to act as Special Rapporteur for South India, National Human Rights Commission. He has resigned the NHRC and took up the work of building the IESJ.

Prof. K. S. CHALAM

Chairman

A Brief Profile of Prof. (Dr) K.S.Chalam

Prof.Dr. K.S.Chalam, Member (I/c Chair) Union Public Service Commission during 2005-2011 is a well-known Political Economist, Educationist and a Scholar of Studies on human development. He has successfully completed 6 years tenure on 1, June 2011 and on the last day acted as I/C chair. As a senior Member of UPSC(cabinet sec rank), he led an official delegation to Australia to study the functioning of the Federal Service Commission and the recruitment policies at the Common Wealth and in the states of Australia. His book on “Governance in South Asia: State of the Civil Services” by Sage, is a valuable contribution to promote excellence in the system. Latest book on “Political Economy of Caste in India” by Sage was released in 2020. Founder Editor of ‘South India Journal of Social Sciences’ from 2002. Now heads Pancha shila Foundation Trust, Hyderabad, and is the Chairman of Institute for Economic and Social Justice, Visakhapatnam, A.P. He hails from the backward district of Srikakulam and obtained B.A Honours in Economics from Utkal University and got admitted in Andhra University and obtained M.A Economics in First class.

Prof K.S.Chalam is a versatile scholar with flair for social and human rights and social activities as Secretary Amnesty International, India during 1984-85. As an economist he has published books on economic policy and participated in debates on Dalit poverty at international conferences. He was associated with the “Right to Food” conference organised by the National Human Rights Commission as Special Rapporteur of South Zone II. He was National Secretary, Amnesty International, Indian section during 1984-85. He was Member, NCRI, MHRD, Jury Member, Dr Ambedkar Award, GoI etc. His book on “Social Economy of Development in India” by Sage International is first of its kind in the social Sciences as it has refreshed 19th century ideas of Sismondi and integrated them with indigenous thinkers of India.

He served as Vice-chancellor, Dravidian University, Kuppam Andhra Pradesh. He is known as the founder of Academic Staff College scheme in the country as its first Director and worked as the first Director of Swamy Ramananda Tirtha Rural Institute in Bhoodan Pochampally A.P. He was the recipient of the UGC young social scientist award in Economics in 1984, Man of the Year 1985, Kalinga Seema Award etc. He taught in the Department of Economics, Andhra University as a Lecturer, Reader and Professor between 1974 and 2005. He has supervised 12 scholars in Economics for obtaining their Ph.Ds. He was on the Planning Board of the Madhya Pradesh Government as Member during 2002-2004 and took part in the drafting of Bhopal Declaration.

He has published so far 28 books in English, including ten books on Education, Human development, 14 in Telugu and 150 research papers in reputed journals and more than 200 edit page articles in Telugu .Some of his books are translated in to Hindi, Tamil and other languages. Most of his books are used as text books and widely discussed and reviewed .He got his Diploma in Economic Planning from Warsaw and has travelled extensively in more than 17 countries on academic pursuits. He has specialised in Economics of Human Development, Political Economy and Dravidian studies. Prof K.S.Chalam was an academic activist in the area of education, culture, Dalit & human rights, Environment etc. He delivered the Presidential address at the 32nd annual Conference of A.P Economic Association in 2013 and valedictory address of Xvii Annual Conference of Indian Political Economy Association at UoH, Hyderabad. He served as Joint secretary, A.U Teachers Association, Secretary Visakha writers Association, Voluntary Action for sustainable Environment etc and is being associated with several international organisations like DFID, PiC etc. He was Special Rapporteur, South Zone, NHRC, Govt. of India. He is now President All India Progressive Forum, Delhi and is actively participating in public debates on contemporary issues.