Benegal Rama Rau
Encyclopedia
Sir Benegal Rama Rau CIE
(1 July 1889 – 13 December 1969) was the fourth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
from 1 July 1949 to 14 January 1957. He was educated at Presidency College
, Madras, and at Kings College
, Cambridge
. He was knighted in 1936. He was a member of the Indian Civil Service. While his had the longest tenure as Governor of the RBI, it was cut short when he resigned just before the expiry of his second extended term, due differences with the then Finance Minister.
On joining the ICS and before joining the RBI he held the following posts.
When he returned to India he was appointed Chairman of the Bombay Port Trust (1941–1946). After serving in the post he once again served as a diplomat as the Indian Ambassador to Japan
(1947–1948), and as the Ambassador to the United States
(1948–1949). In 1949–1952 he served as vice-chairman of the International Law Commission
. His last position was as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India .
He was a Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin and his mother-tongue was Konkani
.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(1 July 1889 – 13 December 1969) was the fourth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India
The Reserve Bank of India is the central banking institution of India and controls the monetary policy of the rupee as well as US$300.21 billion of currency reserves. The institution was established on 1 April 1935 during the British Raj in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of...
from 1 July 1949 to 14 January 1957. He was educated at Presidency College
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
, Madras, and at Kings College
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. He was knighted in 1936. He was a member of the Indian Civil Service. While his had the longest tenure as Governor of the RBI, it was cut short when he resigned just before the expiry of his second extended term, due differences with the then Finance Minister.
On joining the ICS and before joining the RBI he held the following posts.
- Under-Secretary and Deputy Secretary to the Government of Madras (1919–1924)
- Finance Department (1925–1926) as Secretary to the Indian Taxation Committee
- Finance Department (1926–1928) as Deputy Secretary
- Simons Commission (1928–1930) as Financial Adviser
- Industries Department Joint Secretary
- Round Table Conference as Secretary
- Indian Bill (1931–1934) in the Joint Select Committee of Parliament
- Deputy High Commissioner for India in London (1934–1938)
- High Commissioner for India in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
(1938–1941)
When he returned to India he was appointed Chairman of the Bombay Port Trust (1941–1946). After serving in the post he once again served as a diplomat as the Indian Ambassador to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1947–1948), and as the Ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1948–1949). In 1949–1952 he served as vice-chairman of the International Law Commission
International Law Commission
The International Law Commission was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 for the "promotion of the progressive development of international law and its codification."It holds an annual session at the United Nations Office at Geneva....
. His last position was as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India .
He was a Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin and his mother-tongue was Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
.