Jean Drèze is a Belgian-born Indian development economist renowned for his significant contributions to economic policy in India. He studied mathematical economics at the University of Essex and completed his Ph.D. in economics at the Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi. Drèze has taught at the London School of Economics and holds an Honorary Professorship at the Delhi School of Economics. His work addresses critical issues such as hunger, famine, gender inequality, child health, education, and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). He has collaborated with distinguished economists, including Nobel laureates Amartya Sen, Nicholas Stern, and Angus Deaton. Currently, he is a Visiting Professor at the Department of Economics, Ranchi University, and has served on the National Advisory Council of India during both its first and second terms.