Noted economist and RBI Chair Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) Ila Patnaik has been appointed as Principal Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance. The post was vacant since November 2013.
Born in New Delhi, Patnaik is married to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Professor Ajay Patnaik who hails from Balasore. She has done her BA in Economics from Hindu College, University of Delhi, MA and MPhil in Economics from Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU, New Delhi and PhD in Economics from University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
The Patnaik couple who visits the coastal town at least once in a year resides in New Delhi along with their two children. Ajay is a native of Mallikashpur in the town.
A close associate of RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Patnaik was the Economics Editor of Indian Express from 2004-06. She used to write columns in Indian Express and Business Standard and also worked as Editor of Macro Track, a quarterly update on the Indian Economy published by New Delhi-based National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) from 1997-2001.
She is presently working with NIPFP as RBI Chair Professor. Sources said she would join from May 1 and hold the office for a period of three years. Patnaik, who will enjoy the status of the rank of a special secretary, will be replacing Dipak Dasgupta who completed his tenure a few months ago.
Back home, the intelligentsia have congratulated Patnaik, a prolific writer on economic issues, for her new appointment. They said the ‘Balasore bahu’ has made them proud by becoming the senior most officer in the economic division of the Finance Ministry.