Gita Gopinath’s journey from Indian classrooms to the commanding heights of global economic policy is one of vision, intellect, and relentless pursuit. Now, as she prepares to step down from her role as First Deputy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and return to Harvard University in August 2025, her story comes full circle—back to academia, the world that first nurtured her passion for economics.Her rise to global prominence was no accident. It was built on the solid foundation of Indian institutions like Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) and the Delhi School of Economics (DSE), further sharpened by her Ph.D. training at Princeton University. Each chapter of her education carved the path that would eventually lead her to become one of the most respected economists in the world.Now, as she transitions back to Harvard, this time bringing with her the experience of having helped steer global economic policy through historic crises, her academic legacy becomes an even greater source of inspiration for students in India and beyond.
A foundation built in India
Born on December 8, 1971, in Kolkata to a Malayali family from Kerala, Gita was raised in Mysore, Karnataka. Her early schooling at Nirmala Convent School laid the groundwork for a lifelong love of learning. But it was in Delhi that her academic identity began to take shape.She joined Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), one of India’s premier institutions for women, where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in economics. It was here that Gopinath’s intellectual curiosity was sharpened. Professors at LSR recall her as meticulous, observant, and unusually driven.From LSR, she moved to the Delhi School of Economics (DSE), another revered institution under Delhi University, where she earned her master’s degree in 1994. These years were pivotal, not just in terms of academic knowledge, but in the way they exposed her to the complexities of economic theory and real-world application.Her grounding in the Indian education system, with its rigorous focus on theory and fundamentals, would later serve as a valuable lens through which she interpreted global economic trends.
The Ivy League chapter
Armed with two degrees from India, Gopinath made her way to the United States, where she first earned an M.A. in economics from the University of Washington and then a Ph.D. from Princeton University. At Princeton, she studied under some of the most influential economists of the time, including Ben Bernanke, Kenneth Rogoff, and Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas—names that would later become closely linked to global economic policymaking.Her doctoral thesis, “Three Essays on International Capital Flows: A Search Theoretic Approach”, showcased the clarity and ambition of a young economist eager to decode the mechanisms of international finance. Her research earned her Princeton’s prestigious Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Research Award.
The academic powerhouse
Gopinath’s academic career began at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she joined as an assistant professor in 2001. Four years later, she made the leap to Harvard University, eventually becoming the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics. At Harvard, she produced influential work on exchange rate dynamics and global trade, including research that questioned long-held beliefs about currency policies and border taxes.Simultaneously, she played leadership roles in economic research circles, as co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics program at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a co-editor at the American Economic Review, and a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.But academia wasn’t her only sphere. In a brief but notable policy role in India, she served as the honorary economic adviser to the Chief Minister of Kerala: a nod to her roots and her growing international stature.
Entering the global arena
In October 2018, the IMF appointed her as its Chief Economist: the first woman and the second Indian (after Raghuram Rajan) to hold the post. At the time, she was set to return to her academic life, but the world had other plans. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Gopinath became a central figure in crafting the IMF’s economic response.Her co-authored “Pandemic Paper” laid out a global strategy to tackle vaccine inequality. It didn’t stay on paper—it led to the creation of a Multilateral Task Force involving the IMF, World Bank, WHO, and WTO. Her influence extended beyond economics to life-saving logistics, helping low-income nations access vaccines and rebuild from crisis.
The IMF’s second-in-command
In December 2021, she was promoted to the role of First Deputy Managing Director at the IMF. Today, she is responsible for steering the fund’s global surveillance work, leading high-level engagements with governments, and overseeing flagship research publications. It’s a job that blends diplomacy, economics, and crisis management on a planetary scale.IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva called her “the right person at the right time”, a description that now echoes across economic summits and policy forums.
Rooted in India, leading the world
Gita Gopinath’s journey is more than a tale of personal success: it’s an inspiring blueprint for Indian students navigating the intersection of local learning and global ambition. From Lady Shri Ram College to Princeton, from Delhi School of Economics to the IMF, her story proves that intellectual discipline, when paired with bold vision, can reshape global institutions.And while her current job demands her presence in Washington D.C. and at international summits, her journey remains deeply rooted in Indian soil. Every student walking through the gates of a Delhi University college today carries the quiet possibility of becoming the next Gita Gopinath.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
