Indian banking, central banking, and the economy
In an earlier post on CD Deshmukh, I drew on his life and career in the context of his abiding interest in botany and of horticulture (see here). Here, I describe in greater detail, his professional career, almost devoid of personal references. A much shorter version, about one fifth in length, appeared in an online encyclopaedia of Indian economists (see here). Continue reading “The many careers of CD Deshmukh”
Dr IG Patel’s tenure as Deputy Economic Adviser lasted from 1954 to 1959. By then, the first five year plan was already in progress. The work on the second plan had started. In the third part on IG’s life, we discuss a few major developments and other anecdotes. A detailed discussion on the second plan follows in another post. Continue reading “IG Patel as Deputy Economic Adviser”
On the occasion of Dr IG Patel’s centenary, I gave an overview of his life and career (see here). I promised to elaborate in different parts. In the first part (see here), I covered IG’s early life and education. We concluded the first part by referring to IG being seconded to the International Monetary Fund as part of efforts to train young economists who could come back and serve the Government of India. In this second part, I discuss his time at the IMF. At the end, I narrate about his getting to know in Washington, D.C., a Bengali family from Dacca in present-day Bangladesh. Continue reading “IG Patel: IMF and a Bengali family”
Monday, 11 November 2024, marks the centenary of Dr IG Patel. In my blog on Substack (see here), I gave an overview of his life, career, and achievements. I suggest that you read that before continuing here. At the end of that post, I promised to cover different aspects of his life in greater detail. In this first part, I cover Dr IG Patel’s early life and education. Continue reading “IG Patel: Early life and education”
The youngest and the only Governor of the Reserve Bank of India to die in office, James Taylor spent almost his entire career in the cause of central banking in India for around two decades. In that sense, he was India’s first real central banker.
Like a flower, he comes forth and withers.
Job 14:2
He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.
Continue reading “In search of Sir James Taylor”
The long answers to RBI Quiz 2022 are given below: Continue reading “Answers to RBI Quiz 2022”
A potpourri of personal thoughts and anecdotes on exchange control, the dollar, the rupee and SDR
During the over three decades in central banking, I never worked in foreign exchange or related functions. Without going into detail, this was part choice and part chance. Nevertheless, my batch’s 64-week induction training involved working for two months at all desks, including clerical ones, of the Exchange Control Department (ECD), as the department was then known. When ‘management’ replaced ‘regulation’ in the erstwhile Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, ECD eschewed ‘control’ and became the Foreign Exchange Department. Similarly, the Controller in charge of the Department’s Central Office in Mumbai became a Chief General Manager like any other. Continue reading “Rupee and SDR”
Having five finance ministers from one College is unusual. That honour goes to the Madras Law College.
Continue reading “The Madras Law College”
Quiz 2022, like last year, focuses on central banking in India.
There is a prize, like last year, for the first person to answer all questions correctly. The details are in my substack post. Participation in the quiz is open to those who were following me on substack at gsreekumar.substack.com as on 31 December 2022. Continue reading “Year-end Quiz 2022”
More on the Regulations Review Authority, or RRA
On 13 March 1999, the Reserve Bank of India decided to set up a Regulations Review Authority for one year. The objective was to make the Reserve Bank regulations effective and simple. The background to constituting the RRA, effective from 1 April 1999, was as given below: Continue reading “The Regulations Review Authority”