The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the chief executive officer of the Central Bank of India, playing a key role in regulating the country’s monetary policies. Since its inception in 1935, the RBI has seen many governors, with their responsibilities ranging from financial stability to economic growth. Below is a comprehensive list of the Governors of the Reserve Bank of India from 1935 to 2023.
What is the Role of the RBI Governor?
The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India serves as the CEO of the Central Bank, the ex-officio Chairman of its Central Board of Directors, and manages the RBI’s policies and operations. He is also responsible for signing the Indian currency notes.
The RBI Governor is appointed by the Government of India for a term of three years, with the possibility of extension. The most recent governor, Shaktikanta Das, was appointed in 2018 and continues to serve as of 2023.
Complete List of RBI Governors (1935-2023)
| S.N. | Governor Name | Tenure |
| 1 | Sir Osborne Smith | April 1, 1935 to June 30, 1937 |
| 2 | Sir James Braid Taylor | July 1, 1937 to February 17, 1943 |
| 3 | Sir C. D. Deshmukh | August 11, 1943 to June 30, 1949 |
| 4 | Sir Benegal Rama Rau | July 1, 1949 to January 14, 1957 |
| 5 | K. G. Ambegaonkar | January 14, 1957 to February 28, 1957 |
| 6 | H. V. R. Iyengar | March 1, 1957 to February 28, 1962 |
| 7 | P. C. Bhattacharya | March 1, 1962 to June 30, 1967 |
| 8 | L. K. Jha | July 1, 1967 to May 3, 1970 |
| 9 | B. N. Adarkar | May 4, 1970 to June 15, 1970 |
| 10 | S. Jagannathan | June 16, 1970 to May 19, 1975 |
| 11 | N. C. Sen Gupta | May 19, 1975 to August 19, 1975 |
| 12 | K. R. Puri | August 20, 1975 to May 2, 1977 |
| 13 | M. Narasimhan | May 3, 1977 to November 30, 1977 |
| 14 | I.G. Patel | December 1, 1977 to September 15, 1982 |
| 15 | Manmohan Singh | September 16, 1982 to January 14, 1985 |
| 16 | Amitav Ghosh | January 15, 1985 to February 4, 1985 |
| 17 | R. N. Malhotra | February 4, 1985 to December 22, 1990 |
| 18 | S. Venkatraman | December 22, 1990 to December 21, 1992 |
| 19 | C. Rangarajan | December 22, 1992 to November 21, 1997 |
| 20 | Bimal Jalan | November 22, 1997 to September 6, 2003 |
| 21 | Y. V. Reddy | September 6, 2003 to September 5, 2008 |
| 22 | D. Subbarao | September 5, 2008 to September 4, 2013 |
| 23 | Raghuram Rajan | September 4, 2013 to September 4, 2016 |
| 24 | Urjit Patel | September 4, 2016 to December 11, 2018 |
| 25 | Shaktikanta Das | December 12, 2018 to Present |
FAQs About RBI Governors
Sir Osborne Smith was the first Governor of RBI from April 1, 1935, to June 30, 1937.
C. D. Deshmukh became the first Indian Governor of RBI in 1943.
Y. V. Reddy was the Governor from 2003 to 2008, during which time he helped stabilize the Indian economy.
Shaktikanta Das is the current Governor, serving since December 2018.
Sir Benegal Rama Rau served the longest, from 1949 to 1957.
Amitav Ghosh had the shortest tenure, serving for only 20 days in 1985.
Manmohan Singh, who served as RBI Governor from 1982 to 1985, later became India’s Prime Minister.
The tenure of an RBI Governor is typically three years, though it may be extended.
Urjit Patel was the Governor before Shaktikanta Das, serving from 2016 to 2018.
The RBI Governor manages India’s monetary policy, regulates financial markets, and oversees the country’s currency.
The RBI Governor is appointed by the Government of India.
S. Venkataraman was the RBI Governor during the 1991 reforms.
There have been 26 Governors of the RBI as of 2023.
C. Rangarajan played a significant role in India’s New Economic Policy during his tenure.
Benegal Rama Rau holds the record for the longest term in post-independence India.
Typically, RBI Governors have vast experience in economics, finance, and government policy-making.
Yes, the term of an RBI Governor can be extended by the Government of India.
Urjit Patel was the Governor during the 2016 demonetization.
The RBI was established on April 1, 1935.
Shaktikanta Das was the Governor when the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented.
