Gilbert Étienne

Gilbert Étienne (22 June 1928 – 17 May 2014) was a Swiss economist, author and professor. Étienne is best known for his extensive publishing on economic subjects related to India, China and Pakistan. He was a professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva for over 30 years.

Early life Étienne was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. His first studies were in law, and he received a degree from the University of Neuchâtel in 1951. In 1955 he defended his doctoral thesis India: economy and population, which was published the following year by Droz.

Academic career Following his graduation in 1955, he took a two-year trip to India, where he worked as a representative of the Swiss watch company Favre-Leuba. On his return to Switzerland in 1958 he became a lecturer at the Graduate Institute of International Studies (IUHEI) in Geneva, where his research focused on the economic and social questions of developing countries. He stayed at IUHEI until the end of his career, in 1994, interrupting his education study tours on the Asian field. .From 1979 to 2002 he was the president of the Swiss Association for development aid, Frères de nos frères. A prolific author, Étienne published over 40 books and 100 journal articles in his lifetime.

Selected publications 2007, China-India: the great competition 2003, Development against the current 2002, Unpredictable Afghanistan 1998, Chine-Inde: le match du siècle 1996, The Economy of India 1989, Pakistan, a gift from the Indus: economy and politics 1988, Food and Poverty:India's Half Won Battle 1985, Rural development in Asia: Meetings with Peasants 1982, Rural development in Asia: people, grain and tools 1974, The Chinese way: the long march of the economy / La voie chinoise. La longue marche de l'économie, 1949–1974 1969, A Review of Rural Cooperation in Developing Areas 1969, Les Chances de l'Inde 1968, Studies in Indian Agriculture– The Art of the Possible 1962, Tiers Monde, la voie chinoise 1959, De Caboul à Pékin: rythmes et perspectives d'expansion économique 1956, India: economy and population