Shaktikanta Das, a prominent figure in Indian finance, boasts a distinguished career spanning over three decades. His journey, from a modest beginning to the governorship of the Reserve Bank of India, is a testament to his dedication and expertise.
Biography/Wiki
Born on February 26, 1957, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Shaktikanta Das hails from a humble family. His early education was at the Demonstration Multipurpose School, Bhubaneswar, where he excelled academically. He later pursued his graduation and post-graduation in History from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.
Family & Caste
While details about his family remain relatively private, his marital status isn’t publicly known.
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Education & Career
Shaktikanta Das’s career as an IAS officer commenced in 1982 after clearing the Civil Services Examination. His initial posting was as an Assistant Collector. He progressively held significant roles within the Indian government, including:
- Secretary, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers (2013-14)
- Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue (2014-15)
- Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (2015-2017)
- Member, 15th Finance Commission (2017)
- Governor, Reserve Bank of India (appointed December 11, 2018)
Even after retiring from the IAS in 2017, his contributions to Indian finance continued.
Major Designations
His career highlights include various key positions within the Indian government. Below is a summarized table of his major designations:
| Designation | Ministry/Department | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary, Industries Department | Tamil Nadu | 2006 |
| Special Commissioner/Additional Secretary, Revenue | Tamil Nadu | 2007-08 |
| Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure | Government of India | 2008-09 |
| Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs | Government of India | 2009-11 |
| Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs | Government of India | 2011-13 |
| Special Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs | Government of India | 2013 |
| Secretary, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers | Government of India | 2013-14 |
| Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue | Government of India | 2014-15 |
| Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs | Government of India | 2015-2017 |
| Member, Fifteenth Finance Commission | Government of India | 2017 |
| Governor, Reserve Bank of India | Government of India | 2018-Present |
Controversies
His appointment as RBI Governor faced criticism regarding his historical background. Concerns were raised about his qualifications to handle complex financial policies.
Further, in 2016, he faced criticism related to alleged involvement in land allocation to Sanmina SCI Corporation during his tenure in the Tamil Nadu government.
Facts
Shaktikanta Das is multilingual, proficient in Odiya, Tamil, Hindi, and English. His extensive experience as an IAS officer spans over three decades. He served as India’s Sherpa to the G20 summit in Hamburg in 2017. Despite his background in history, his career primarily focused on economics and finance. He played a key role in launching new Indian currency notes post-demonetization. His personal interests include reading and writing. He was honored with the Governor of the Year Award by Central Banking in London in June 2023.
