After ending ties with Brookings, CSEP brings Adi Godrej, 6 others on board

The Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), an independent Indian public policy think tank, on Thursday appointed Rahul Bajaj, Vikram Singh Mehta, Adi Godrej, Hari Bhartia, Rakesh Mohan, Gaurav Dalmia, and Vikram Kirloskar as the initial members of its governing board. 

The board will be expanded further to include a diverse mix of industrialists, academics and public policy practitioners, the centre said in a press statement. 

CSEP started in 2013 as Brookings India, an overseas centre of the Brookings Institution, one of the world’s oldest think tanks. After seven years of partnership, the two institutions formally separated as of September 10. The centre was relaunched with a new name and identity, and seeks to carry forward and build upon the legacy of Brookings India. “We envision CSEP becoming a hub of credible public policy research, not just in India, but globally,” said Rahul Bajaj, member of the board.  

The board elected Vikram Singh Mehta as chairman, to steer the new institution. Mehta is a Distinguished Fellow at CSEP and former Chairman of the Shell Group of Companies in India. He was also the founding Chairman of Brookings India. “We are proud of the impact of our work in the core areas of economic growth, energy and foreign policy. We will continue to work on these issues,” said Mehta. “We will also expand our research agenda to anticipate future challenges and identify avenues that advance global progress.” Mehta emphasised that CSEP is committed to being a non-partisan and independent think tank. “Our donors and stakeholders value this about us and have fostered this,” he added.  

The Board appointed Rakesh Mohan as the CSEP’s president. In this role, he will be the centre’s chief executive officer and will also oversee CSEP’s research activities and mentor scholars. Mohan is a Distinguished Fellow at CSEP, and was the former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, former Secretary, Economic Affairs and former Executive Director on the Board of the International Monetary Fund. Prior to this appointment, he was a faculty member at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University. “At CSEP, we are building a world-class institution that cuts through the noise, prioritizes in-depth research and generates innovative ideas. And of course, all our research and engagement will be guided by our core values of independence, integrity and impact.”  

CSEP conducts policy-relevant research and provides recommendations for tackling Indian and global issues. The centre is based in New Delhi and registered as a company.