NEW DELHI: The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday appointed Delhi School of
Economics and Lady Shri Ram College alumna
Gita Gopinath as its chief economist, a post once held by former Reserve Bank of India governor
Raghuram Rajan.
Gopinath will succeed Maurice Obstfeld as economic counsellor and director of the IMF’s research department.
A top-notch economist, she currently serves as the John Zwaanstra professor of international studies and economics at
Harvard University. The 46-year-old India-born economist joins the illustrious list of Rajan and Kaushik Basu who have served as chief economists of the IMF and the World Bank, respectively. Basu also taught at D-School.
Gopinath has also served as a member of the eminent persons’ advisory group on G-20 matters for the finance ministry and was appointed as economic adviser to the Kerala CM in 2016.
Gopinath, a US citizen, got her PhD in economics from
Princeton University in 2001.
Gita an outstanding economist, says Lagarde
Gita is one of the world’s outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience, IMF managing director
Christine Lagarde said while announcing her appointment.
“All this makes her exceptionally well-placed to lead our research department at this important juncture. I am delighted to name such a talented figure as our chief economist.”
She joined the University of Chicago in 2001 as an assistant professor before moving to Harvard in 2005 and became a tenured professor there in 2010. She did her BA (Honours) in economics from Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College and then MA from D-School and the University of Washington.
“…it is not only unprecedented in terms of practice but it is also unprecedented in terms of theory. Pretty much every macro-economist colleague of mine that I have spoken to would say that this is something that we do not recommend to any developing country,” Gopinath, who is an advocate of less cash, told a television channel in January last year when asked whether demonetisation was an unprecedented event.
