Benegal Rama Rau
Sir Benegal Rama Rau | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Mangalore, India |
| Died | December 13, 1969 (aged 80) |
| Occupation(s) | Civil servant, diplomat |
| Years active | 1919–1957 |
| Known for | Fourth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India |
Sir Benegal Rama Rau CIE, ICS (1 July 1889 – 13 December 1969) served as the fourth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, holding office from 1 July 1949 until 14 January 1957.
Early life and family
Rau was born into a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin household in Mangalore. His elder sibling, Sir Benegal Narsing Rau, distinguished himself as an Indian civil servant, jurist, diplomat, and legal advisor to the Constituent Assembly. Meanwhile, his younger brother B. Shiva Rao pursued a career in journalism and politics.
His academic journey included studies at Presidency College in Madras and later at King's College, Cambridge.
He was married to Dhanvanthi Rama Rau, a Kashmiri Brahmin who was a prominent figure in the Indian women's rights movement, served as International President of Planned Parenthood, and founded the Family Planning Association of India. Their younger daughter, Santha Rama Rau, established herself as a travel writer based in the United States.
Career
Rau entered the Indian Civil Service in 1919. He was honored as a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1930 and received knighthood in 1939. His tenure as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India remains the longest to date; he stepped down shortly before completing his second extended term due to disagreements with Finance Minister T. T. Krishnamachari.
Prior to his leadership at the RBI, Rau held several significant positions:
- Under-Secretary and Deputy Secretary to the Government of Madras (1919–1924)
- Secretary to the Indian Taxation Committee within the Finance Department (1925–1926)
- Deputy Secretary in the Finance Department (1926–1928)
- Financial Adviser to the Simons Commission (1928–1930)
- Joint Secretary in the Industries Department
- Secretary for the Round Table Conference
- Member of the Joint Select Committee on Indian Bill (1931–1934)
- Deputy High Commissioner for India in London (1934–1938)
- High Commissioner for India in the Union of South Africa (1938–1941)
After returning to India, he led as Chairman of the Bombay Port Trust from 1941 to 1946. Subsequently, he served as Indian Ambassador to Japan (1947–1948) and then to the United States (1948–1949). His final and most prominent appointment was as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, where he holds the record for longest service.