Kamal Nayan Kabra (1941) Professor of Economics (1980-2003), Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi and Malcolm S. Adiseshiah Chair Professor (2010-17), Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi. Chairperson, Institute of Small Enterprises and Development, Cochin. Taught Economics at Ramjas College, Delhi University, was the first Nehru Memorial Trust UK Scholar at the University of Cambridge (1966-67). Chaired one expert and another Review Committee of GOI. Has been associated with and published studies concerning planning and development and management of public enterprises, including some foreign countries. Was a UGC visiting Professor at some Indian universities.

In addition to contributing to research journals and popular writing, has published several studies which include: The Black Economy in India: Problem and Policies; Black Economy and Mal-development; The Political Economy of Brain Drain; Development Planning in India; Appropriate Development ; People First; Political Economy of Policy Options: Nationalizations in India, 1947-1980 (2 Vols.); FDI in Retail: A Self-Goal; Political Economy of Public Distribution of Food in India along with ten popular social science books in Hindi. Endowment and Memorial Lectures in many institutions. Coordinated nearly 20 issues of an annual group exercise, published as Alternative Economic Survey under the auspices of the Indian Political Economy Association.