List of governors of the Reserve Bank of India

2022-06-22T17:29:42Z

122.161.77.1: robot: Update article (please report if you notice any mistake or error in this edit)

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor
| body = the Reserve Bank of India
| insignia = Seal of the Reserve Bank of India.svg
| insigniacaption = Seal of the Reserve Bank of India
| incumbent = [[Shaktikanta Das]]
| incumbentsince = 12 December 2018
| termlength = 3 years (extendable)
| appointer = [[Government of India]]
| salary = ₹ 2,50,000
| formation = {{start date and years ago|df=yes|1935|04|01}}
| inaugural = Sir [[Osborne Smith]]
| website = {{URL|https://rbi.org.in/}}
| constituting_instrument = [[Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934]]
| deputy = [[Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India|Deputy Governor]]
}}

The '''governor of the Reserve Bank of India''' is the [[chief executive|chief executive officer]] of India's [[central bank]] and the ''[[ex-officio]]'' chair of its Central Board of Directors. [[Indian Rupee]] currency notes, issued by the Reserve Bank of India, bear the governor's signature. Since its establishment in 1935 by the [[British Raj|government of India]], the RBI has been headed by twenty-five{{Nbsp}}governors. The governor of the Reserve Bank of India is a member of the Strategic Policy Group headed by [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]] [[Ajit Doval]]. It is a crucial wing of the [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]].{{Clarify|date=November 2020}}

The term of office typically runs for three years and can, in some cases,{{Vague|date=November 2020}} be extended for another two years.

The inaugural officeholder was the British banker Sir [[Osborne Smith]], while Sir [[C. D. Deshmukh]] was the first native Indian governor. Holding office for over seven years, Sir [[Benegal Rama Rau]] was the longest-serving governor, while [[Amitav Ghosh (banker)|Amitav Ghosh]]'s 20-day term is the shortest. The bank's fifteenth{{Nbsp}}governor, Dr [[Manmohan Singh]], later became India's thirteenth prime minister. [[Shaktikanta Das]] is the twenty-fifth governor of the [[Reserve Bank of India]] from 12 December 2018.
{{clear}}

== List of governors ==
[[File:CD Deshmukh crop.jpg|thumb|Sir [[C. D. Deshmukh]] was the first Indian to serve as the governor.|upright=0.75]]
[[File:Sir Benegal Rama Rau, governor of Reserve Bank of India.jpg|thumb|Sir [[Benegal Rama Rau]] was the longest serving governor.|upright=0.75]]
[[File:I. G. Patel.jpg|thumb|[[I. G. Patel]], the fourteenth governor|upright=0.75]]
[[File:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in WEF ,2009.jpg|thumb|[[Manmohan Singh]], the fifteenth governor, later served as the thirteenth [[prime minister of India]]|upright=0.75]]
[[File:Duvuri.jpg|thumb|[[D. Subbarao]], the twenty-second governor|upright=0.75]]
[[File:Raghuram Rajan, IMF 69MS040421048l.jpg|thumb|[[Raghuram Rajan]], the twenty-third governor|upright=0.75]]
[[File:Urjit Patel.jpg|thumb|[[Urjit Patel]], the twenty-fourth governor|upright=0.75]]
[[File:Shaktikanta Das, IAS signing FATCA (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Shaktikanta Das]], the twenty-fifth and incumbent governor|upright=0.75]]

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" border="1" style="text-align:center";
|+ {{Sronly|List of governors of the Reserve Bank of India}}
! data-sort-type="number" scope="col" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! scope="col" width=135px | Governor
! data-sort-type="date" scope="col" class="unsortable" width=135px | Term
! scope="col" width=90px| Length of tenure
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes<ref>{{Cite web |title=Governors |url=https://rbi.org.in/scripts/governors.aspx |url-status=live |access-date=June 19, 2022 |publisher=[[Reserve Bank of India]]}}</ref>
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | References
|-
|1
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | Sir {{Sortname|Osborne|Smith}}
|1 April 1935 — 30 June 1937
|{{ayd|1935|4|1|1937|6|30}}
|Smith was a British banker who served as the managing governor of the [[Imperial Bank of India]] prior to becoming the governor. He resigned the governorship before the completion of the term.
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dadabhoy |first=Bakhtiar K. |title=Barons of Banking: Glimpses of Indian Banking History |date=2013 |publisher=Random House India |isbn=978-81-8400-476-2 |location=Noida |page=20}}</ref>
|-
|2
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | Sir {{Sortname|James Braid|Taylor}}
|1 July 1937 — 17 February 1943
|{{ayd|1937|7|1|1943|2|17}}
|Taylor was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as the controller of the currency and the [[List of deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India|deputy governor]] pf RBI prior to becoming the governor. He died while in office.
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Saha |first=Siddhartha Sankar |title=Indian Financial Systems and Markets |date=2013 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |isbn=978-1-259-00500-8 |location=New Delhi |page=67}}</ref>
|-
|3
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | Sir {{Sortname|C. D.|Deshmukh}}
|11 August 1943 — 30 June 1949
|{{ayd|1943|8|11|1949|6|30}}
|Deshmukh was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as the [[List of deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India|deputy governor]] of RBI prior to becoming the governor. He was the first Indian to serve as the governor. His governorship oversaw the [[partition of India]] as the subsequent division of assets and liabilities between India and Pakistan.
|
|-
|4
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | Sir {{Sortname|Benegal Rama|Rau}}
|1 July 1949 — 14 January 1957
|{{ayd|1949|7|1|1957|1|14}}
|Rau was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as the [[List of ambassadors of India to the United States|Indian ambassador to the United States]] prior to becoming the governor. He resigned the governorship before the completion of his second extended term.
|
|-
|5
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|K. G.|Ambegaonkar}}
|14 January 1957 — 28 February 1957
|{{ayd|1957|01|14|1957|02|28|df=y}}
|Ambegaokar was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] prior to becoming the [[List of deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India|deputy governor]] of RBI. He was appointed as the interim governor upon the resignation of [[Benegal Rama Rau]].
|
|-
|6
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|H. V. R.|Iyengar}}
|1 March 1957 — 28 February 1962
|{{ayd|1957|3|1|1962|2|28}}
|Iyengar was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as the [[List of chairmen of the State Bank of India|chairman of the State Bank of India]] prior to becoming the governor. [[Coinage of India|Indian coinage]] was shifted from earlier systems to [[Decimalisation|decimal coinage]] during his governorship.
|
|-
|7
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|P. C.|Bhattacharya}}
|1 March 1962 — 30 June 1967
|{{ayd|1962|3|1|1967|6|30}}
|Bhattacharya was an [[Indian Audit and Accounts Service]] officer who served as the [[List of chairmen of the State Bank of India|chairman of the State Bank of India]] prior to becoming the governor.
|
|-
|8
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Lakshmi Kant|Jha}}
|1 July 1967 — 3 May 1970
|{{ayd|1967|7|1|1970|5|3}}
|Jha was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as the [[Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India|secretary to the prime minister]] prior to becoming the governor. He left the office upon his appointment as the [[List of ambassadors of India to the United States|Indian ambassador to the United States]].
|
|-
|9
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|B. N.|Adarkar}}
|4 May 1970 — 15 June 1970
|{{ayd|1970|5|4|1970|6|15}}
|Adarkar was an economist who served as the economic advisor to the government prior to becoming the [[List of deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India|deputy governor]] of RBI. He was appointed as the interim governor.
|
|-
|10
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Sarukkai|Jagannathan}}
|16 June 1970 — 19 May 1975
|{{ayd|1970|6|16|1975|5|19}}
|Jagannathan was an [[Indian Civil Service]]s officer who served as India's executive director of the [[World Bank]] prior to becoming the governor. He resigned the office to become the India's executive director of the [[International Monetary Fund]].
|
|-
|11
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|N. C. Sen|Gupta}}
|19 May 1975 — 19 August 1975
|{{ayd|1975|5|19|1975|8|19}}
|Gupta served as the secretary to the Department of Banking, Ministry of Finance prior to becoming the interim governor.
|
|-
|12
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|K. R.|Puri}}
|20 August 1975 — 2 May 1977
|{{ayd|1975|8|20|1977|5|2}}
|Puri served as the chairman of the [[Life Insurance Corporation]] prior to becoming the governor. His governorship oversaw the formation of various regional rural banks.
|
|-
|13
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|M.|Narasimham}}
|3 May 1977 — 30 November 1977
|{{ayd|1977|5|3|1977|11|30}}
|Narasimham was a RBI research officer who served as an additional Secretary to the Department of Economic Affairs prior to becoming the governor.
|
|-
|14
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|I. G.|Patel}}
|1 December 1977 — 15 September 1982
|{{ayd|1977|12|1|1982|9|15}}
|Patel was an economist who served as a secretary in the Ministry of Finance prior to becoming the governor. His governorship oversaw the [[Demonetization (currency)|demonetization]] of [[Indian rupee sign|₹]]5,000 and ₹10,000 value currency.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 9, 2016 |title=In 1946 and 1978, India had demonetised Rs 5,000, 10,000 notes |work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/091116/scrapping-large-currency-not-new-in-1946-india-demonetised-rs-5000-10000-notes.html |access-date=June 19, 2022}}</ref>
|
|-
|15
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Manmohan|Singh}}
|16 September 1982 — 14 January 1985
|{{ayd|1982|9|16|1985|1|14}}
|Singh is an economist who served as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] prior to becoming the governor. His governorship oversaw various legal reforms related to banking.
|
|-
|16
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Amitav|Ghosh|dab=banker}}
|15 January 1985 — 4 February 1985
|{{ayd|1985|1|15|1985|2|4}}
|Ghosh was the deputy governor of RBI who was appointed as the interim governor until [[R. N. Malhotra]] assumed the office.
|
|-
|17
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|R. N.|Malhotra}}
|4 February 1985 — 22 December 1990
|{{ayd|1985|2|4|1990|12|22}}
|Malhotra was an [[Indian Administrative Service|Indian Administrative Services]] officer who served as executive director of the [[International Monetary Fund]] prior to becoming the governor. His governorship oversaw the inauguration of [[Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research]].
|
|-
|18
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|S.|Venkitaramanan}}
|22 December 1990 — 21 December 1992
|{{ayd|1990|12|22|1992|12|21}}
|Venkitaramanan was an [[Indian Administrative Service|Indian Administrative Services]] officer who served as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] prior to becoming the governor. India adopted [[International Monetary Fund]]'s stabilization program during his governorship.
|
|-
|19
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|C.|Rangarajan}}
|22 December 1992 — 21 November 1997
|{{ayd|1992|12|22|1997|11|21}}
|Rangarajan is an economist who served as the [[List of deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India|deputy governor]] of RBI prior to becoming the governor. His governorship oversaw the establishment of unified exchange rate.
|
|-
|20
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Bimal|Jalan}}
|22 November 1997 — 6 September 2003
|{{ayd|1997|11|22|2003|9|6}}
|Jalan is an economist who served at various positions including being the chief economic adviser to the government and serving as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] prior to becoming the governor. His governorship oversaw less [[inflation]] and interest rates.
|
|-
|21
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Y. Venugopal|Reddy}}
|6 September 2003 — 5 September 2008
|{{ayd|2003|9|6|2008|9|5}}
|Reddy is an [[Indian Administrative Service|Indian Administrative Services]] officer who served as the [[List of deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India|deputy governor]] of RBI prior to becoming the governor. During his governorship, he contributed in the financial sector reforms and [[External commercial borrowing|external commercial borrowings]].
|
|-
|22
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|D.|Subbarao}}
|5 September 2008 — 4 September 2013
|{{ayd|2008|9|5|2013|9|4}}
|Subbarao is an [[Indian Administrative Service|Indian Administrative Services]] officer who served as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] prior to becoming the governor. He wrote on various issues including [[decentralization]] and [[public finance]].
|
|-
|23
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Raghuram|Rajan}}
|4 September 2013 — 4 September 2016
|{{ayd|2013|9|4|2016|9|4}}
|Rajan is an economist who served as the chief economic advisor to the government and the [[List of IMF Economic Counsellors|chief economist of International Monetary Fund]] prior to becoming the governor.
|
|-
|24
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Urjit|Patel}}
|4 September 2016 — 10 December 2018
|{{ayd|2016|9|4|2018|12|11}}
|
|
|-
|25
!scope=row style="text-align:center"; | {{Sortname|Shaktikanta|Das}}
|12 December 2018 — ''Incumbent''
|{{ayd|2018|12|12}}
|
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prasad |first=Gireesh Chandra |last2=Ghosh |first2=Shayan |last3=Gopakumar |first3=Gopika |date=11 December 2018 |title=Shaktikanta Das, Who Oversaw Demonetization, Is New RBI Governor |url=https://www.livemint.com/Industry/mqqkVZgURWChvJbxq45E4H/Shaktikanta-Das-appointed-new-RBI-governor.html |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=[[Livemint]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 December 2018 |others=BQ Desk |title=Shaktikanta Das Is New RBI Governor |url=https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/shaktikanta-das-is-new-rbi-governor |access-date=11 December 2018 |website=[[BloombergQuint]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=11 December 2018 |title=Shaktikanta Das: The Man Behind GST, Note Ban Now Heads RBI |work=[[The Economic Times]] |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/banking/finance/banking/shaktikanta-das-the-man-behind-gst-note-ban-now-heads-rbi/articleshow/67046113.cms |access-date=24 April 2022}}</ref>
|}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons inline|Category:Reserve Bank of India|Reserve Bank of India}}
{{-}}
{{Governors of Reserve Bank of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Governors of the Reserve Bank of India]]
[[Category:Lists of office-holders in India]]
[[Category:Lists of central bankers]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

List of governors of the Reserve Bank of India