Economist Surjit Bhalla appointed as executive director for India at IMF

The government on Tuesday appointed Economist Dr Surjit S Bhalla as Executive Director for India at International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a period of three years.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Dr Surjit S. Bhalla, Economist, as Executive Director (India), International Monetary Fund for a period of three years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders whichever is earlier," an official release said.

In December last year, Bhalla had resigned as a part-time member of EAC-PM (Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister).

He was amongst the economists who had hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for demonetisation in 2016.

Bhalla has several feathers in his cap. He is a senior India analyst for New York-based macroeconomic policy advisory firm, the Observatory Group, besides being a Chairman of Oxus Research and Investments.

He served as executive director of the Policy Group, India's first non-government funded think tank. Since 1999, he has been on the governing board of India's largest think tank, National Council of Applied Economic Research.