Delighted that work focussed on poorest people has been awarded: Abhijit Banerjee

Indian-American MIT professor Abhijit Banerjee, who jointly won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize with his wife Esther Duflo and Harvard professor Michael Kremer, on Monday said he is delighted that work focussed on the world's poorest people has been awarded the prestigious prize and it honours all the people working on the ground for poverty alleviation.

The prize reflects on the fact that somehow while we often pay lip service to the welfare of all, this is something that not always (is the) immediate focus of a prize like this, Banerjee said in an interview to NobelPrize.org.

He said he is delighted that some attention was thrown this way."
He added that "one should not have too much faith in one's own rationality and you should not have too much faith in the rationality of anybody else either."
"We are incredibly happy and humbled," Duflo was quoted as saying by the MIT News. "We feel very fortunate to see this kind of work being recognised."
Nancy Rose, department head and the Charles P Kindleberger Professor of Applied Economics, said, Esther and Banerjee have been exceptional colleagues and contributors to the MIT economics department."
Their passion for the power of economics to do good in the world inspires us all, and their generosity and compassion in working with students and colleagues has propelled countless careers forward. We couldn't be more thrilled for this recognition of all they have done."