Washington: Mysuru-born Gita Gopinath has been promoted to the position of First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD) — the number two official — at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), from her earlier position of Chief Economist of the global financial lender. She will assume the role under present Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and will be succeeding current FDMD Geoffrey Okamoto.

Gita, who was the first woman to serve as the IMF’s Chief Economist, has been praised by Georgieva for the exceptional work she has done amid COVID-19, as well as for her “intellectual leadership in helping the global economy and the Fund to navigate the twists and turns of the worst economic crisis of our lives.”

Georgieva called Gopinath “the right person at the right time” to take the leadership role.

“Especially given that the pandemic has led to an increase in the scale and scope of the macroeconomic challenges facing our member countries, I believe that Gita — universally recognised as one of the world’s leading macro-economists — has precisely the expertise that we need for the FDMD role at this point,” Georgieva said in the statement.

“Indeed, her particular skill set — combined with her years of experience at the Fund as Chief Economist — make her uniquely well qualified.” Gopinath, who was appointed to her current role in October 2018, was due to return to her position at Harvard University in January but will now leave the University.

Gita, who is looking forward    to the new position, tweeted, “I am honoured to become the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director. With the pandemic, the work of the Fund has never been more important. I look                    forward to working with my brilliant colleagues to help our membership face these important challenges.”

Gita Gopinath parents T.V. Gopinath and V.C. Vijayalakshmi, both from Kerala, currently reside in Mysuru.