Washington, Oct 1: International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde on Monday appointed Indian-origin Harvard University professor Gita Gopinath as the chief economist of the international organisation. Gita Gopinath will replace outgoing chief economist Maury Obstfeld in December. Born in India, Gita Gopinath is a US citizen and an Overseas Citizen of India.

“Gita is one of the world’s outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience,” IMF chief Lagarde said. “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 added.

According to the IMF website, Gita Gopinath is co-editor of the American Economic Review and co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). She is co-editor of the current Handbook of International Economics with Former IMF Economic Counsellor Kenneth Rogoff.

Gita Gopinath has authored some 40 research articles on exchange rates, trade and investment, international financial crises, monetary policy, debt, and emerging market crises. She received her PhD in economics from Princeton University in 2001 after earning a B.A. from the University of Delhi and M.A. degrees from both the Delhi School of Economics and University of Washington.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2018 08:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).