Gita Gopinath Education & Success Story

Gita Gopinath is an Indian-American economist who is currently serving as the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She is 50 years old and was born on December 8, 1971, in Kolkata. Gita has been in the number two-leadership position since January 21, 2022. Also, she was the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2019 to 2022. Each day, she’s making a significant contribution through her expertise. Let’s explore everything you need to know about Gita Gopinath.

Who is Gita Gopinath?

Gita Gopinath (born December 8, 1971) is an Indian-American economist who has served as the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) First Deputy Managing Director since January 21, 2022. She formerly served as the IMF’s Chief Economist from 2019 to 2022. Before entering the IMF, Gopinath had a two-decade career as an academic, notably as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University (2005-22) and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2001-05). She is also a co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s International Finance and Macroeconomics department and formerly served as the Chief Minister of Kerala’s Honorary Economic Adviser.

Early Life of Gita Gopinath

Gita Gopinath was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, on December 8, 1971, to parents from Kannur, Kerala. Geeta’s family moved to Mysore, Kerala when she was nine years old. Gita was the youngest daughter of Gita’s parents, who had two daughters. She completed her schooling in Mysuru when the family relocated, and then completed her degree in Delhi. Gita relocated to the United States to complete her education. She was readmitted to Washington University for a master’s degree in economics. On the recommendation of her mentor, she enrolls at Princeton University for her Ph.D. after completing her M.A. She wishes to move to India for her spouse, who resides there when she finishes her Ph.D., but she is unable to do so for many reasons.

Gita Gopinath conducted extensive research, the majority of which focused on international finance and macroeconomics, and was published in several prestigious economic publications. She published research papers on critical topics such as exchange rates, trade and investment, the worldwide financial crisis, monetary policy, debt, and the emerging market crises. Gita has also worked as the Managing Director of Economic Studies, as well as a co-editor of the International Economic Current Handbook and a co-editor of the American Economy. Gita Gopinath served as the Chief Economic Advisor to Kerala’s Chief Minister from 2016 to 2018.

Gita Gopinath Education

• Gita Gopinath studied at Nirmala Convent School, Mysore. 
• In 1992, she received a degree in B.A. from Lady Shri Ram College for Women of Delhi University. 
• In 1994, she received an M.A. Degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. 
• In 1996, she further completed an M.A. degree at the University of Washington. 
• In 2001, she earned a PhD in economics from Princeton University after completing a doctoral dissertation titled – “Three essays on national capital flows: a search theoretic approach”. It was under the supervision of Ben Bernanke, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, and Kenneth Rogoff. While doing her doctoral research at Princeton, she was also awarded Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Research Award. 

Gita Gopinath Journey from Harvard to IMF Deputy MD

• Gita Gopinath joined the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business as an assistant professor in the year 2001.
• She was the John Swanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University’s Economics Department in 2005.
• Gita Gopinath was appointed chief economist of the International Monetary Fund(IMF) in October 2018. She co-authored the “Pandemic Paper” on how to end the COVID-19 pandemic that set globally endorsed targets for vaccinating the world. This work of hers led to the creation of the Multilateral Task Force made up of the leadership of the IMF, WTO, WHO and World Bank to help end the Covid-19 pandemic and the making up of a working group with vaccine manufacturers to identify various trade barriers, supply bottlenecks, and accelerate delivery of vaccines to lower as well as middle-income countries. Gita Gopinath also worked with other International Monetary Fund (IMF) departments to connect with academics, policymakers, and various other stakeholders on a new analytical approach to help countries respond to international capital flow via the Integrated Policy Framework. She also helped in setting up a Climate Change team inside the IMF to analyze optimal climate mitigation policies among other things. 
• Gita Gopinath was elevated as the Fund’s new First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD), the number two position in December 2021.
• Gita Gopinath had been earlier scheduled to return to her academic position at Harvard University in January 2022 on completion of her term as Chief Economist. Her precise expertise as the world’s leading economist is what is needed for the FDMD role. 
• She represents the Fund at multilateral forums, maintains high-level contacts with members, government, the media, Board members, and other institutions. She also leads the Fund’s work on surveillance, and policies oversee research and flagship publications, and the work of senior staff as the First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF.
• Gita Gopinath was appointed to the World Bank – International Monetary Fund (IMF), High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) on Sustainable and Inclusive Recovery and Growth. It is co-chaired by Mari Pangestu, Nicholas Stern, and Ceyla Pazarbasioglu. 

Books by Gita Gopinath

• What the Economy Needs Now
• Tariff Passthrough at the Border and the Store: Evidence from US Trade Policy
• A Proposal to End the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Dominant Currency Paradigm: A New Model for Small Open Economies
• Global Trade and the Dollar
• Tariff Passthrough at the Border
• Patterns in Invoicing Currency in Global Trade
• A Conceptual Model for the Integrated Policy Framework
• Dominant Currencies and External Adjustment
• U. S. Dollar Currency Premium in Corporate Bonds
• Preemptive Policies and Risk-Off Shocks in Emerging Markets

Gita Gopinath Salary and Net Worth

Gita Gopinath is an American Economist who is currently serving as the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Senior Economist salaries at IMF ranges from $130,000 – $275,994. Gita’s estimated salary is $1,74,368 at IMF. She has an estimated Net Worth of around $3 Million. 

Gita Gopinath Biography Personal Biodata

She became a member of the Eminent Person Advisory Group on G20 Matters at the Indian Finance Ministry. Gita was appointed as the IMF’s Chief Economist in October 2018. She was the first Indian woman and the second Indian to be elected as the IMF’s Chief Economist. Raghuram Rajan, the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, had previously been chosen as Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Gita was named one of the world’s Top Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy in 2019, and her name was also listed among the world’s top 25 economists.

In 2011, she was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. The President of India has bestowed upon Gita Gopinath the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honor bestowed upon an expatriate by the President of India. Gita has obtained American citizenship and is now a citizen of the United States, yet she continues to visit India to see her parents. Gita and her husband, Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal, live in the United States. Gita Gopinath is a Harvard University John Jawanstra Professor of Economics and International Studies.

Some Interesting Facts About Gita Gopinath

• Gita Gopinath was born in Kolkata, although her roots are in Kannur, Kerala.
• She is an economist from the United States.
• She is an American citizen.
• Gita has a large following on Twitter.
• She believes in Hindu gods and goddesses.
• Gita is a multilingual individual. She is fluent in Hindi, English, American English, Kannad, Malyali, and other Indian languages.
• The (International Monetary Fund) IMF’s Chief Economist is Gita Gopinath.

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