Swaminathan Aiyar

Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar (born 12 October 1942) is an Indian economist, journalist, and columnist. He is consulting editor for the Economic Times and writes regularly for the Economic Times and The Times of India. He is also a Research Fellow at the Cato Institute. He is the younger brother of Mani Shankar Aiyar, who is a senior Congress leader.

Aiyar was born to V. Shankar Aiyar, a chartered accountant, and Bhagyalakshmi Shankar. His younger brother, Mani Shankar Aiyar is a politician and served as Minister for Panchayati Raj in the previous Indian government.

An alumnus of Welham Boys' School, The Doon School, and St Stephen's College, University of Delhi, he earned a master's degree in economics from Magdalen College, Oxford.

He is a research fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington D.C., and an occasional consultant to the World Bank.

He previously served as editor of The Economic Times (1992–94), Financial Express (1988–90) and Eastern Economist (1980–82).

Aiyar writes a weekly column titled "Swaminomics" in the Times of India, where he discusses economic and political issues pertaining to India and the world. Aiyar has prepared several reports and papers for the World Bank. In 1976–85 and 1990–98, he was also the India correspondent of The Economist.

He has written two books: Towards Globalisation (1992) and Swaminomics: Escape from the Benevolent Zookeepers (2008).

He is currently consulting editor of The Economic Times, India's leading financial daily that is part of Bennett, Coleman & Co, the same company that owns The Times of India.

Aiyar has three children: Pallavi Aiyar, Shekhar Aiyar, and Rustam Aiyar from his previous marriage with Gitanjali Aiyar. He is an atheist.