India-born economist Gita Gopinath, who broke the trend by becoming the first woman to serve as chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, has broken yet another trend! Now, the first deputy managing director of IMF, Gopinath’s official portrait has made it to the wall of former Chief Economists of the fund.
Not just this, Gopinath is the only woman to make it to the wall. Sharing her excitement on the achievement, the economist took to Twitter and wrote, “Breaking the trend… I joined the wall of former Chief Economists of the IMF.
She also shared pictures of the wall in question, on which hang a series of 11 portraits of former chief economists of the IMF. Gopinath’s picture is seen at the 11th and last place.
The 50-year-old served as chief economist of the International Monetary Fund between 2019 and 2022. She was succeeded by Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas. At present, Gopinath is serving as the Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, a position she has held since January 21, 2022.
“In that role she oversees the work of staff, represents the Fund at multilateral forums, maintains high-level contacts with member governments and Board members, the media, and other institutions, leads the Fund’s work on surveillance and related policies, and oversees research and flagship publications,” the IMF said on its website.
Gopinath, who received her Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 2001, is the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honor conferred on overseas Indians by the Government of India. She is also the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Washington.
The IMF named her one of the ‘top 25 economists under 45’ in 2014 and she was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2011.
