List of governors of the Reserve Bank of India
Sanjay Malhotra | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Governor of the Reserve Bank of India |
| Years active | 2024–present |
| Known for | Chief executive officer of India's central bank; ex-officio chairperson of RBI's Central Board of Directors |
The governor of the Reserve Bank of India serves as the chief executive officer of India's central banking institution and holds the position of ex-officio chairperson of its Central Board of Directors. Currency notes issued by the RBI bear the governor's signature. Since the RBI's inception in 1935, a total of twenty-six individuals have occupied this role. The governor holds a rank comparable to that of a Minister of State and participates as a member of the Strategic Policy Group led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, thereby integrating the RBI into national security strategy discussions.
The inaugural governor was Sir Osborne Smith, a British banker, while Sir C. D. Deshmukh was the first Indian to hold the office. Sir Benegal Rama Rau had the longest tenure, serving over seven years, whereas Amitav Ghosh’s term lasted only 20 days. Manmohan Singh, who was the fifteenth governor, subsequently became the Prime Minister of India. The current governor, Sanjay Malhotra, took charge as the twenty-sixth governor on 11 December 2024.
List of governors
| No. | Governor | Term | Length of tenure | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Template:Sortname | 1 April 1935 – 30 June 1937 | 2 years, 3 months | British banker; previously managing governor of Imperial Bank of India; resigned before completing term. | |
| 2 | Sir Template:Sortname | 1 July 1937 – 17 February 1943 | 5 years, 7 months | Officer in Indian Civil Service; former currency controller and deputy governor; died while in office. | |
| 3 | Sir Template:Sortname | 11 August 1943 – 30 June 1949 | 5 years, 10 months | First Indian to serve as governor; managed asset division during partition between India and Pakistan. | |
| 4 | Sir Template:Sortname | 1 July 1949 – 14 January 1957 | 7 years, 6 months | Ex-Indian ambassador to the United States; resigned prior to completing second extended term. | |
| 5 | Template:Sortname | 14 January 1957 – 28 February 1957 | 1 month, interim | Indian Civil Service officer; Finance Secretary and deputy governor; appointed on interim basis. | |
| 6 | Template:Sortname | 1 March 1957 – 28 February 1962 | 5 years | Former chairman of State Bank of India; introduced decimal coinage system in India. | |
| 7 | Template:Sortname | 1 March 1962 – 30 June 1967 | 5 years, 4 months | Officer from Indian Audit and Accounts Service; previously chaired SBI. | |
| 8 | Template:Sortname | 1 July 1967 – 3 May 1970 | 2 years, 10 months | Ex-secretary to Prime Minister; left position to become ambassador to the United States. | |
| 9 | Template:Sortname | 4 May 1970 – 15 June 1970 | 1 month, interim | Economist and economic advisor; served briefly as interim governor. | |
| 10 | Template:Sortname | 16 June 1970 – 19 May 1975 | 4 years, 11 months | Indian Civil Service officer; former World Bank executive director; resigned to join IMF. |
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