My name is Raghuram Rajan, I do what I do: Top quotes by RBI guv

business

Updated: Apr 16, 2016 20:34 IST

Reserve Bank of India’s governor Raghuram Rajan is known for his wit and frank views on the state of affairs in the Indian and global economy.

Rajan has a global profile as the former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is credited by some analysts as having predicted the 2008 global financial crisis. In India, he has been dubbed as Superman who could shake up the central bank and bring down inflation.

Read | Indian economy like ‘one-eyed’ king in land of blind: RBI’s Rajan

Here are a few of his quotes that prove he is a banker with a sense of humour:

# “I think we have still to get to a place where we feel satisfied. We have this saying - ‘In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king’. We are a little bit that way.”

# “I am not a doom and gloom guy.”

# “No one wants to go after the rich and well-connected wrong-doer, which means they get away with even more. If we are to have strong sustainable growth, this culture of impunity should stop.”

# “I don’t know what you want to call me... Santa Claus... you want to call me hawk, I don’t know. I don’t go by this. My name is Raghuram Rajan and I do what I do.”

# “... but a quick resort to bans will chill all debate as everyone will be anguished by ideas they dislike. It is far better to improve the environment for ideas through tolerance and mutual respect.”

# “I don’t want to take that James Bond (image). But, a banker on the move — I will take that.”

# “It is not because of the benevolence of the baker that we eat fresh bread every morning but because of his desire to make money.”

# “We are neither hawks nor doves. We are actually owls.”

# “The governorship of the central bank is not meant to win one votes or Facebook “likes”. But I hope to do the right thing, no matter what the criticism, even while looking to learn from the criticism.”

# “Expectations are high. Clearly I am not a superman. There is a little bit of euphoria in India.”