All you need to know about Shaktikanta Das, new RBI Governor

The government has appointed former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das as the new Governor of RBI after Urjit Patel quit citing 'personal reasons'. He has been appointed for a term of three years. Here is all you need to know about Das

Education

He holds a Masters degree in history from Delhi University. He did a course in financial management from IIM Bangalore and received mid-career training from IIM Calcutta. He was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, batch of 1980.

Early career

Das served in various positions for both the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu. Some of the posts he held were that of  Principal Secretary for Industries, Special Commissioner for Revenue, project director of Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society and as the district magistrate and collector of Dindigul and Kancheepuram districts in the Tamil Nadu government.

Revenue Secretary

In the first major bureaucratic reshuffle after Modi became Prime minister in 2014, Shaktikanta Das, then fertiliser secretary took on the role of the new Revenue Secretary. He was in charge of the  first budget presented by the Modi government.

Economic affairs secretary in the finance ministry

His role involved direct interactions with the public sector banks and the Reserve Bank of India. He was in office when demonetisation was announced and was seen defending the move.  In 2017, when he retired from the post of Finance Secretary, he had overseen the preparatory work that went into establishing the GST law. During his tenure he was regarded as one of the most powerful civil servants. He finally retired in May 2017.

Post retirement

Das was appointed as member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission and has also been India's Sherpa to the G20, after his retirement.

His role as governor of RBI

As governor of RBI, Das has several challenges ahead of him. The banking crisis is looming large and the rift between RBI and the government is only becoming stronger. This career bureaucrat is considered a Finance ministry insider and may just be able to iron out the differences between the two.