RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das: Another 1980 batch retired IAS appointed in a high-profile post

Shaktikanta Das, 1980 batch retired IAS, has today assumed charge as the new Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in place of Urjit Patel who had resigned on Monday. With Das’ appointment to this Mint Street post, the number of 1980 batch retired officers occupying high-profile positions has increased to at least four. The other 1980 batch retired officers in high positions include…

NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant (Kerala cadre), Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora (Rajasthan cadre) and Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa (Haryana cadre).

Also, Das is an IAS-turned RBI Governor after a gap of five years. Earlier, Y Venugopal Reddy (2003 to 2008) and D Subba Rao (2008-2013) IAS who became Central Bank governor. 

Here below are five things you may like to know about the new RBI Governor, Das:

1. Shaktikanta Das, a 1980 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, was appointed as the revenue secretary in June 2014, in one of the first major bureaucratic reshuffles of the Modi Sarkar. 

2. Das, originally belonging to Odisha, served as joint secretary, additional secretary and then special secretary in the ministry of finance between November 2008 and December 2013.

3. A post-graduate in history, Das had earlier worked as Tamil Nadu’s industry and revenue secretary.

4. Sixty-one-year-old retired officer strongly supported demonetisation when the union government in November 2016 banned the use of 500 and 1000 rupee notes. 

5. Das was Prime Minister’s Sherpa for the meeting of G20 summit held recently at Aires in Argentina.