Master of the finest balancing act

● Despite not succeeding in sending the inflation 'elephant' back to the jungles, he was able to resist the rate cut pressure

- Sachin Kumar

IN HIS OPENING remarks at his first media interaction as Reserve Bank of India governor in December 2018, Shaktikanta Das said, "The RBI is a great institution; it has a very rich legacy. I will try and uphold the professionalism, the core values, the credibility and the autonomy of the institution."

As his six-year tenure comes to an end today (December 10), Das, 67, has indeed walked the talk. His journey from the bustling corridors of North Block to the hallowed halls of Mint Street has been a testament to his exceptional skills as an administrator and his deep understanding of the Indian economy. The soft-spoken career bureaucrat, who is the second governor in the RBI's history to be at the helm for at least six years, also made a huge contribution in smoothening the relationship between the apex bank and government, which had hit rock bottom during his predecessor Urjit Patel's tenure.

Remarkably, he leaves the banking sector in the pink of health, with non-performing assets at a decadal low of below 3%.