The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has named Poonam Gupta as the new Deputy Governor. She is a well-known economist and Director General (DG) of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). She will hold office for three years, replacing Michael Debabrata Patra, whose term expired in January. The appointment comes just days ahead of the RBI’s bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting scheduled for 7th-9th April, 2025.
Gupta brings a wealth of experience to her new role. Before joining NCAER in 2021, she worked for two decades in senior roles at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Her academic career includes teaching positions at Delhi School of Economics, University of Maryland (USA) and Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Delhi. She has also served as the RBI Chair Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) and as a professor at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).
Gupta is a PhD and Masters degree holder in Economics from the University of Maryland, USA, and a Masters in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. Her PhD work in international economics led to the 1998 EXIM Bank Award.
Gupta’s expertise in macroeconomic stability and international financial systems is expected to help in navigating challenges like inflation control and economic growth amidst global uncertainties. Her appointment aligns with RBI’s tradition of having one Deputy Governor with an economist background to ensure sound monetary policymaking.
