For Gita Gopinath’s parents in Mysuru, IMF’s tweet came as no surprise

Though Gita preferred to study science at PU level from Mahajana’s College in Jayalakshmipuram, she drifted towards Arts at undergraduate level.
Gita Gopinath is one of the world's outstanding economists, IMF said. (Photo | IMF Twitter)
Gita Gopinath is one of the world's outstanding economists, IMF said. (Photo | IMF Twitter)

MYSURU:  While economists across the world were eagerly waiting to know who would be the next chief economist for International Monetary Fund (IMF), a couple in Mysuru already knew about it well in advance. For the parents of Gita Gopinath, who has been appointed to the top key post at the IMF, it was business, as usual, this Monday when the big news was announced.

Gita’s 82-year-old father T V Gopinath, an industrialist-turned-agriculturist, was on his way to attend a seminar on marketing agricultural produces scheduled at Jaipur in Rajasthan, when the official announcement came at 7.30 pm (IST). Her mother Vijayalakshmi was busy teaching at a school near their house in Kuvempunagar. 

“I was in Bengaluru along with my daughter two weeks ago, when she got a call from the IMF office. However, she was told to keep the news to herself until an official announcement was made,” recalled Gopinath. Exactly 38 years ago in 1980, Gopinath had come down to Mysuru after his stint at various industries in New Delhi, Kolkata and other states. Since then, he has made Mysuru his second home. Gita, eight-year-old then, joined Nirmala Convent in V V Mohalla, where she studied from class three to SSLC, which she passed with about 98% marks, elated Gopinath told The New Indian Express.

Though Gita preferred to study science at PU level from Mahajana’s College in Jayalakshmipuram, she drifted towards Arts at the undergraduate level. It was her zeal to study economics that took her to Lady Shri Ram College for Women in New Delhi. There has been no looking back since then. She further went on to pursue MA from Delhi School of Economics and University of Washington too later.

‘She is in Boston ever since she joined Harvard in USA in 2005 as the professor of international studies and economics. She will be visiting Mysuru in December again. Every year, she takes a break during this time of the year to catch up with the family here. She will be assuming charge of her new role on January 4,” said Gopinath.

Enterprising quality runs in her blood
Gita Gopinath seems to have acquired the enterprising qualities from her father, who has dabbled in many fields. His latest interest lies in agriculture and dairy farming. He recently bought 30 herds of cattle of Gir breed from Nagpur in Maharashtra, in addition to the existing number of cattle at his 50-acre ‘Gopi Farm’ at Chellahalli near Bilikere in Hunsur taluk. He has been growing horticultural crops like guava, mango and sapota at his farm over the past 12 years. 

Prior to that, he had taken a farm on lease in Kodagu, where he was into anthurium cultivation. He was one of the largest growers of the plant in the region at one time. Regarding his industrial career, ISI-marked ceiling fans were manufactured at Gita’s father’s factory ‘Vineetha Electricals’ in Metagalli Industrial Area which closed about two decades ago.

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