A TRIBUTE TO DR DALIP SINGH SIDHU (5 August 1933–21 January 2023)
With sadness, I want to tell his admirers, friends, colleagues, and students the passing of our former Punjab Agricultural University colleague, and distinguished economist, Dr Dalip Singh Sidhu on Saturday, January 21, 2023. He departed peacefully surrounded by his family at Ludhiana.
Dr Dalip Singh Sidhu was born on 5 August 1933. After matriculation from A.D. High School Dharamkot (Ferozepur District), he completed B.Sc. Agri. from Government Agriculture College Ludhiana in 1954 and M.Sc. (Agri. Economics) from Panjab University in 1961. He obtained Ph.D. in 1970 under a sandwich programme, completing course work at the Ohio State University, Columbus, and thesis research at Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi.
Sidhu started his professional innings in Agriculture Department as Assistant Marketing Officer and Cattle Fair Officer in 1954. He was Marketing Officer and Farm Economist from 1963 to 1971. He joined PAU as Professor of Marketing in 1972. He provided able leadership to Department of Economics and Sociology from 1975 to 1988. Sidhu was Dean Postgraduate Studies from 1989 to 1993.
Sidhu’s research and development contributions in agricultural marketing and price analysis were impressive. He mentored dozens of postgraduate students and faculty at PAU. Starting as a Visiting Economist in 1976–77, he had a productive research collaboration with CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, Mexico) economists. He was an enthusiastic participant in Asian Productivity Organization activities and regularly presented his research at the annual meetings in Tokyo. He was a consultant to Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. He was a member of several Expert/Standing Committees of Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Sidhu was a member of PAU Board of Management from 2002 to 2008.
Passionate about his work, Sidhu loved educating policymakers, politicians, bureaucrats, scholars and students about agricultural marketing, pricing of farm inputs and outputs, and their role in enhancing productivity and profitability. At PAU, he enriched many of his sceptical and non-economic colleagues with insights from his meticulous work.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Sidhu was elected Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. In 1992, he was sounded by noted economist Bimal Jalan for possible nomination for Padma Shri. He did not agree, saying there were more deserving persons in Punjab. Getting a clue, he prepared solid proposals for two nominations for Padma awards on behalf of Punjab Government. Eminent Plant Breeder Khem Singh Gill received Padma Bhushan and progressive farmer Jagjit Singh Hara received Padma Shri in 1993. Sidhu accompanied Hara to receive the award on behalf of Vice Chancellor Gill from President of India.
We, the two Sidhus, worked together when he was Dean Postgraduate Studies. Our last meeting was in September 2022. Age and health challenges had not dimmed his enthusiasm a bit. Our conversation about the good old days of PAU and Punjab agriculture continued for about an hour. He verbally asked questions and answered my queries while I wrote my answers and questions on a slate as he could not hear me. We did not know that was our last conversation! Looking back, I am glad that I pushed myself to visit with him despite my frailties.
Dr Dalip Singh Sidhu will be remembered as an accomplished economist, a great mentor, and a soft spoken, wonderful human being.
