Shaktikanta Das Appointed as Governor of the RBI

Shri Shaktikanta Das assumed charge as the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on December 12, 2018. His appointment marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of India's central banking institution, bringing to the position a senior administrator with extensive experience in economic affairs, taxation, finance and public administration.

Prior to his appointment as RBI Governor, Shri Shaktikanta Das had served as Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. He had also served as Secretary, Department of Revenue. Immediately before taking charge as Governor, he was serving as a Member of the 15th Finance Commission and as India's G20 Sherpa.

Shri Shaktikanta Das brought with him nearly four decades of experience in government. During his career, he held several important positions in both the Central and State Governments, dealing with diverse areas including finance, taxation, industries, infrastructure and economic policy. His long association with the Ministry of Finance gave him considerable experience in matters closely connected with India's monetary and fiscal administration.

For numismatists, however, Shri Shaktikanta Das's career has a particularly interesting connection with  the Indian currency. Before becoming Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, he served as the Union Financial Secretary. During his tenure in that position, his signature appeared on the Government of India ₹1 notes issued in 2017. The ₹1 note is distinct from other Indian banknotes as it is issued by the Government of India and carries the signature of the Finance Secretary rather than that of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

His subsequent appointment as RBI Governor created a fascinating link between two different roles in Indian currency history. Shri Shaktikanta Das became one of the few individuals whose signature can be found on Indian currency in two capacities: first as a senior Finance Ministry official on the Government of India ₹1 notes, and later as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on banknotes of denominations issued during his tenure.

This makes the currency signed by Shri Shaktikanta Das particularly interesting from a collecting perspective. A collector can trace his transition from the Ministry of Finance to the Reserve Bank of India through his signatures appearing on two distinct categories of Indian currency.