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Raghuram Rajan Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth3 February 1963

Age62 Years

BirthplaceBhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

ProfessionEconomist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRadhika Puri

FamilyFather - R Govindarajan; Brothers - Srinivas Rajan, Mukund Rajan; Sister - Jayashree Rajan

Raghuram Rajan Biography

Raghuram Govind Rajan is an Indian economist known for academic achievements, policy leadership and influential books. He has served in top international,央

Early life and background
Raghuram Govind Rajan was born on 3 February 1963 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and later grew up with family ties to Chennai, which is listed as his hometown. His father, R. Govindarajan, served as an Indian Police Service officer. Rajan attended Delhi Public School, R. K. Puram, for his school education and went on to study electrical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, where he was awarded the Director’s Gold Medal as the best all‑round student in 1985.

He continued his education at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, receiving a gold medal in 1987, and completed doctoral work in financial economics with a Ph.D. thesis titled “Essays on Banking.” He also studied at the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Career
Rajan built a career that spans academia, international institutions and public service. He won the inaugural Fischer Black Prize in 2003 and served as the Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund from October 2003 to December 2006.

In 2005 he attracted attention within economics for a paper in which he questioned aspects of financial development; his early warnings about systemic risks preceded the global financial crisis that emerged in 2008. He later served as an honorary economic adviser to the Prime Minister of India in 2008.

Rajan has written for broad audiences as well as for specialists. His book Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy won the Financial Times‑Goldman Sachs business book of the year award in 2010. He was appointed Chief Economic Adviser to India’s finance ministry on 10 August 2012 and was named Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on 5 September 2013, becoming the youngest person to hold that office at the time.

Recognition and public profile
Rajan has received widespread recognition for his work. Euromoney named him Best Bank Governor in 2014, and Time magazine included him on its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2016. In 2014 there was public discussion among economists about his suitability for leadership of the International Monetary Fund.

His 2017 book I Do What I Do collected speeches and writings that drew significant media attention for their critiques of government policy. Colleagues and commentators have at times referred to him in high‑profile terms, noting his influence on debates about financial stability and economic policy.

Public profile
Rajan maintains a public persona shaped by both intellectual accomplishment and approachable personal details. He is known to follow a vegetarian diet and has described interests that include writing, puzzles and exercise. Personal recollections reported in interviews include anecdotes about school life and family impressions; he has said his children sometimes perceive him as out of step with contemporary trends.

He has been called by nicknames such as Raghu and Rajan, and his professional identity is that of an economist. His published work and public service roles have made him a frequent presence in discussions of India’s economic policy and global financial stability.

Latest updates
Raghuram Rajan remained active in public life after his term at the central bank. In December 2022 he participated publicly alongside political figures during a well‑publicized event in Rajasthan. His recent appearances and writings continue to attract attention from economists, policymakers and the media.
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Recent Work

Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy

Book addressing structural risks in the global economy; won the Financial Times‑Goldman Sachs business book of the year award in 2010.

2010
I Do What I Do

Collection of speeches and writings released in September 2017 that critiqued government policy and received wide media attention.

2017
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Career Highlights

  1. Won the inaugural Fischer Black Prize (2003)
  2. Chief Economist, International Monetary Fund (Oct 2003–Dec 2006)
  3. Author of Fault Lines, Financial Times‑Goldman Sachs business book of the year (2010)
  4. Appointed Chief Economic Adviser to India’s Finance Ministry (10 August 2012)
  5. Youngest Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (appointed 5 September 2013)
  6. Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People (2016)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Raghuram Rajan born?

3 February 1963

What is Raghuram Rajan known for?

Economist

What is Raghuram Rajan’s marital status?

Married

Who is Raghuram Rajan married to?

Radhika Puri