Kerala government economic adviser Gita Gopinath appointed IMF director of research
United Nations, Oct 1 : Eminent academic and economic adviser to the Kerala government, Gita Gopinath, was appointed on Monday as Director of the International Monetary Fund's Research Department.
Announcing the appointment, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde called her "one of the world's outstanding economists with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership and extensive international experience".
"All this makes her exceptionally well-placed to lead our Research Department at this important juncture. I am delighted to name such a talented figure as our Chief Economist," she said in a statement.
The director of the IMF's Research Department oversees the World Economic Outlook Report that is considered a major survey of the global economy as well as several other reports and research projects that determine the financial and economic statuses of countries.
She succeeds Maurice Obstfeld, who announced in July that he would retire at the end of this year.
Gopinath, who received her MA degree from the Delhi School of Economics, is the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University.
She is concurrently the economic adviser to the Chief Minister of Kerala and, according to her bio at Harvard, she was appointed in 2016 to the honorary position with the rank of principal secretary.
She has also served as a member of the Eminent Persons Advisory Group on G-20 Matters for India's Ministry of Finance.
She received her Ph.D in economics from Princeton University in 2001 for her work on international macroeconomics and trade and was an assistant professor at University of Chicago before moving to Harvard in 2005.
Her bachelor's degree was from Lady Sri Ram College in New Delhi.
She received the Bhagwati Prize for the best paper published in the Journal of International Economics in 2003 and 2004.
In 2014, she was named one of the top 25 economists under 45 by the IMF and she was a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2011.
Gopinath is also the co-editor of the American Economic Review and Handbook of International Economics, co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics Programme at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a member of the Economic Advisory Panel of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
She has authored some 40 research articles on exchange rates, trade and investment, international financial crises, monetary policy, debt and emerging market crises, according to the IMF.
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Where is Priyanka Gandhi? Her voter lynched in Mangaluru, still no response
A voter from Wayanad, the very constituency that elected Priyanka Gandhi to the Lok Sabha with a record margin of over four lakh votes, has been brutally murdered in Mangaluru. Yet, there has been no statement, no visit, and no visible intervention from the newly elected Member of Parliament.
Ashraf, a mentally ill man from Wayanad, was reportedly lynched by a mob of Hindutva activists on the outskirts of Mangaluru. Eyewitness accounts suggest that he was chased and beaten mercilessly, despite some locals pleading with the attackers to stop. However, the police allegedly attempted to suppress the nature of the crime, initially dismissing it as a case of drunkenness or an accident. Bruises on Ashraf’s body were ignored, and for two days, the case was handled with silence and negligence.
It was only due to consistent media reporting and the voices of political and social leaders that the truth began to emerge. It is now widely believed that around 30 individuals were involved in the brutal assault on Ashraf. The attempt to hush up the murder has drawn serious questions about the functioning and intention of the police.
Adding to the controversy, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar claimed that the attack happened because Ashraf allegedly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad.” This statement has further derailed the investigation, critics say. It has triggered outrage across Karnataka, with many asking how the Home Minister had access to information about such a slogan but did not know the basic fact that Ashraf was mentally unwell.
Even more disturbing is the silence of other senior leaders. The District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao's reference to Ashraf as someone from a “different community” has also sparked public anger. Citizens are asking how a Muslim man from Wayanad can be referred to as a non-Muslim. The statement has only added to the confusion and suspicion around the case.
Now, Ashraf’s family has taken his body back to Wayanad. And the questions remain unanswered: Will Priyanka Gandhi visit Ashraf’s home? Will she express solidarity with his grieving family? Will she demand that the Karnataka government take strict action against the killers?
The voters of Wayanad are watching. Will Priyanka Gandhi call Karnataka’s Home Minister and question him about his controversial statement? A statement that mirrored the claims made by the very people accused in the case? Since when did statements made by the accused become the basis of public messaging in a murder case?
Will the Wayanad MP hold the Congress government in Karnataka accountable for failing to act promptly? Will she ask why neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister has spoken on the matter?
The Congress came to power in Karnataka promising justice, equality, and safety for all communities. Karnataka’s Muslim voters, especially, placed their faith in the Congress by turning away not just from the BJP but also from the JDS. What are they being given in return?
At a time when Priyanka Gandhi should have been standing with her constituents and in Parliament against the Waqf Amendment Bill, she was reportedly abroad during the passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill. Many now wonder if this absence is a convenient escape from politically sensitive issues.
If she is back, it is time for her to act. The family of Ashraf, a man from her own constituency, deserves justice. Every single accused in this lynching case—from those who carried out the violence to those who orchestrated it—must face the maximum punishment under the law.
If not, it will not just be Ashraf’s family, but the entire electorate of Wayanad that will be left questioning: why did Priyanka Gandhi contest from their constituency where the party ticket was to be given to a Muslim party worker?
