New Delhi, July 29 -- Distinguished Indian-origin economist, author, and member of the UK House of Lords, Lord Meghnad Desai, passed away at the age of 85 on Tuesday, prompting an outpouring of condolences from across the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron.

Born as Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai in 1940 in Vadodara, the economist began his academic journey in economics at the University of Mumbai, where he earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees, following which he received a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, completing his PhD in economics in 1963, three years after enrolling.

Following the news of his demise, PM Modi expressed grief and recalled hi...