Prem Shankar Jha
Encyclopedia
Prem Shankar Jha born 22 December 1938 is the Managing Editor of Financial World, the soon to be launched business daily from Tehelka
. He is also a columnist
with Tehelka magazine.
, Bihar
and was educated at The Doon School
and received a Masters of Arts Degree from University of Oxford
in philosophy
, politics
and economics
at Nuffield College, Oxford
.
where he spent five years in the United Nations Development Programme UNDP. He spent two of these five years in New York
as a special assistant to the managing director of the Special Fund Mr. Paul G. Hoffman who was the first administrator of the UNDP. The remaining three were spent in Damascus
, Syria
.
In 1966 Jha joined the Hindustan Times
as an assistant editor
, in 1969 he moved to the Times of India, where he was the deputy editor of The Economic Times
. He then joined the Financial Express
as its editor before moving back to the Times of India in 1981 as its economic editor. In 1986 he re-joined the Hindustan Times
as its editor.
The World Bank
appointed him as a consultant in 1978 to prepare a report on the public sector
in India. In 1977 the Asia and Pacific Development Administration Centre of the UN in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia gave him the project of preparing a manual for use by public sector managers for operation and evaluation of projects.
Jha was a member of the Indian National Commission for UNESCO
in 1975-1977 and in 1976 he was a delegate to the 63rd Session of the Indian Science Congress Association
, Waltaire. In 1990 he served as the information advisor to the Prime Minister of India, V.P. Singh. Jha has also been a visiting professor at a number of institutes and universities like the Centre for International Affairs, Harvard University
, Universities of Virginia and Richmond. In 1985-1987 he was also a member of the energy panel of the World Commission for Environment and Development, headed by Gro Harlem Brundtland
.
He has been a columnist for The Hindu
, The Hindustan Times, the Business Standard
and Tehelka
Tehelka
Tehelka is an Indian weekly political magazine under the editorship of Tarun Tejpal known for its undercover exposé style of journalism. Its cover price is Rs 20 per issue. The publication began in 2000 as a news website, Tehelka.com...
. He is also a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
with Tehelka magazine.
Early life
Jha was born and brought up in DarbhangaDarbhanga
Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and was educated at The Doon School
The Doon School
The Doon School is an independent school located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das. Its first Headmaster was Arthur E...
and received a Masters of Arts Degree from University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Nuffield College, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
Career
In 1961, he joined the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
where he spent five years in the United Nations Development Programme UNDP. He spent two of these five years in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as a special assistant to the managing director of the Special Fund Mr. Paul G. Hoffman who was the first administrator of the UNDP. The remaining three were spent in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
In 1966 Jha joined the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
as an assistant editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, in 1969 he moved to the Times of India, where he was the deputy editor of The Economic Times
The Economic Times
The Economic Times is an English-language Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. The Economic Times was started in 1961. It is the most popular and widely read financial daily in India, read by more than 8 lakh people...
. He then joined the Financial Express
Financial Express
The Financial Express is an Indian English-language business newspaper. It is published by the Indian Express group since 1961. The FE specialises in India and international business and financial news....
as its editor before moving back to the Times of India in 1981 as its economic editor. In 1986 he re-joined the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
as its editor.
The World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
appointed him as a consultant in 1978 to prepare a report on the public sector
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
in India. In 1977 the Asia and Pacific Development Administration Centre of the UN in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia gave him the project of preparing a manual for use by public sector managers for operation and evaluation of projects.
Jha was a member of the Indian National Commission for UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1975-1977 and in 1976 he was a delegate to the 63rd Session of the Indian Science Congress Association
Indian Science Congress Association
Indian Science Congress Association is a premier scientific organisation of India,started in the year 1914, with Headquarters at Kolkata.. It meets annually in the first week of January every year.-Introduction:...
, Waltaire. In 1990 he served as the information advisor to the Prime Minister of India, V.P. Singh. Jha has also been a visiting professor at a number of institutes and universities like the Centre for International Affairs, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Universities of Virginia and Richmond. In 1985-1987 he was also a member of the energy panel of the World Commission for Environment and Development, headed by Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
.
He has been a columnist for The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, The Hindustan Times, the Business Standard
Business Standard
Business Standard is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published by Business Standard Ltd in two languages, English and Hindi...
and Tehelka
Tehelka
Tehelka is an Indian weekly political magazine under the editorship of Tarun Tejpal known for its undercover exposé style of journalism. Its cover price is Rs 20 per issue. The publication began in 2000 as a news website, Tehelka.com...
Books
He is an author of the following books.- India : A Political Economy of Stagnation (1980).
- Management of Public Enterprises in Developing Asian Countries: The UN Asian and Pacific Development Administration Centre. (1980).
- In the Eye of the Cyclone: The crisis in Indian Democracy. (1993).
- Kashmir 1947: Rival versions of History (1996).
- A Jobless Future: Political causes of Economic crisis (in India) (2002).
- The Perilous Road to the Market: The Political economy of reform in Russia, China and India. (2002).
- Kashmir 1947: the Origins of a dispute (2003).
- The End of Saddam Hussein's Iraq - History through the Eyes of the Victim (2003).
- Twilight of the Nation State: Globalisation, Chaos, and War (2006).
- Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger: Can China and India Dominate the West? (2009).
- India & China: The Battle Between Soft And Hard Power (2010).
- Destruction of A Nation
- The Origins of A Dispute - Kashmir 1947