Abhijit Banerjee hailed across political lines for Nobel Economics Prize

"Congratulations to Abhijit Banerjee ... He has made notable contributions in the field of poverty alleviation," PM Modi said in a Tweet

Indian politicians and academics cheered the Nobel economics prize awarded on Monday to Indian-born American Abhijit Banerjee, whose proud mother told visitors crowding into her apartment that he came from "a family of economists".

Nirmala Banerjee showed journalists a copy of her son's book "Poor Economics" as bouquets arrived at her home in the city of Kolkata and friends and family called to congratulate her.

"We are a family of economists, his father, me ... everyone is an economist," she said. "But we worked in different fields.

We had discussions and debates on many issues." Banerjee was recognised for his