NCAER

Since January 1, 2001 Director-General (CEO) of National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi. The NCAER is one of India 's leading independent policy research institutions, with a staff strength of approximately 150 persons. It undertakes social science research under sponsorship from the government, private and international sectors, and is particularly known for its work on economic forecasting, household surveys, infrastructure, trade policy and human development.

The Director-General is accountable to the President (currently Shri Nandan M. Nilekani, co-Chairman Infosys Technologies Limited) and members of the Governing Body for all aspects of functioning of the organisation: academic, financial, external relations and administrative.  In addition, he participates in numerous government committees and undertakes extensive public speaking and writing on economic issues.

World Bank, Washington DC (1972-2000)

• Lead Economist, Brazil Country Management Unit in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region of the World Bank. Accountable for design and monitoring of analytic work on Brazil and management of a small team of economists. Strategic advisor to Country Director. Areas of personal focus: macro-economy, financial markets; public debt management. Represented World Bank in negotiations on Brazilian rescue package in 1998-99.
• Extensively involved in supervising analytic work on reform of Brazil ’s government and national social security schemes, including supervision of both reports and loans designed to support the Brazilian reform.
• § Economic Advisor, Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office. Accountable to the Regional Vice-President for the design and management of the analytic work of the Region (total budget in excess of $20 million), and for special assignments.
• Division Chief, Latin America and Caribbean Region, Managed unit of 18 professionals. Responsible for macroeconomic analysis of five countries: Argentina , Uruguay , Ecuador and Paraguay ; development of country lending strategy and overall lending relationship; and management of individual adjustment lending operations. Extensive contact at Minister, Deputy Minister and Secretary levels, and with IMF, IDB and G-7 officials.
• Division Chief, National Economic Management Division, Economic Development Institute of the World Bank (now World Bank Institute). Responsible for design and delivery of in-service training and policy workshops on economic management in cooperation with partner institutes in both industrial and developing countries.

Reserve Bank of India , Bombay:  1992-1994

Special Consultant (on leave from the World Bank).  Advisor to the Governor on financial policy, institutional reform, and market development and regulation.  Sustained involvement in policies towards commercial banking:  strategies for bank capitalisation; disposition of non-performing asset portfolios; macroeconomic implications; strategies for managerial reform.  Actively involved in reform of the government debt markets:  linkages between general financial sector deregulation and the development of the bond market, as well as issues of market structure, drawing upon the experience of other developing countries.  Worked closely with officials in the Finance Ministry (in New Delhi).

• Co-Editor with Arvind Panagariya, Columbia University and Barry Bosworth, Brookings Institution, India Policy Forum, National Council of Applied Economic Research and Brookings Institution
• “Grand Bargains and Free Lunches”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol XXXIX, No 51, December 18,2004, pp 5354-5356
• “Mid-Year Review of the Indian Economy 2003-04”, India International Centre, 2004
• “The Real Exchange Rate, Fiscal Deficits and Capital Flows: India : 1981-2000”, Lal, Deepak, Suman Bery and D.K. Pant (2003): Economic and Political Weekly, Vol 38, No 47, November 22, pp 4965-4976
• “Mid-Year Review of the Indian Economy 2002-03”, India International Centre, 2003
• “NCAER’s Market Information Survey of Households”, with R.K.Shukla, in Economic and Political Weekly, January 25, 2003.
• "Worshipping False Gods", Seminar 509 (January, 2002) pp. 58-61.
• Preventing Banking Sector Distress and Crisis in Latin America. World Bank Discussion Paper No. 350. Edited by Suman K. Bery and Valeriano F. Garcia. The World Bank, Washington, D.C., 1997.
• “ India : Reform of the Banking Sector: in Financial Sector Reforms, Economic Growth and Stability: Experiences in Selected Asian and Latin American Countries. pp. 243-260. Edited by Shakil Faruqi. EDI Seminar Series: The World Bank, Washington, DC 1994.
• “Public Sector Commercial Banks and Financial Sector Reform: Rebuilding for a better future.” Discussion Paper. Government of India . Ministry of Finance. New Delhi. December 1993.
• “Financial Rehabilitation of Public Sector Banks: Conceptual and Policy Aspects.” Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXIX. No. 5 (January 29, 1994), pp. 251-255.
• “The role of Political Factors in Economic Reform.” World Development, Volume 18, No. 8 (August 1991), pp. 1123-1131.

1. Member, All-India Management Council (AIMA) – National Council
2. Member, Managing Committee, Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry (ASSOCHAM)
3. Member, Confederation of Indian Industry
   • Committee on Economic Affairs
   • National Committee on Civil Aviation.
   • CII Infrastructure & Regulatory Council
4. Member, Board of Governors, Institute of Economic Growth.
5. Member, Board of Governors, National Institute of Public Finance & Policy.
6. Member, Board of Governors, National Productivity Council.
7. Member, Government Accounting Standards Advisory Board.
8. Member Expert, NISTADS Research Council
9. Member, Inter-Ministerial Task Force to address Fiscal, Labour and Investment Funding Issues in the Textiles Sector, Ministry of Textiles
10. Member, India–Indonesia Expert Working Group, Ministry of External Affairs
11. Member, Ministry of Finance.
    • Monitoring Committee on Fiscal Reforms.
    • Advisory Committee on Macroeconomic Management & Govt. Finances under TA project (ADB)
12. Member, Ministry of Labour
    • Working group on Employment Monitoring
    • Multidisciplinary working group for Recommending Policy Choices & Reforms in EPFO
13. Member, Market Development Advisory Committee, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) 
14. Member, Central Advisory Committee, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)
15. Member, 17th Electric Power Survey Commission, Central Electricity Authority
16. Member, Indo-Japan Study Group
17. Member, Committee on Financial Sector Reforms
18. Member, Ways and Means Committee of Reserve Bank of India
19. Member, Technical Advisory Committee of Reserve Bank of India
20. Served as Director, State Bank of India , for six consecutive years
21. Member of the National Economic Research Organisations (NERO)
22. Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister

Publications

• Invited Guest contributor to HT Parekh Column
• Monthly columnist in Business Standard
• Panel of Economics in India Today magazine

Major Achievements

• Recipient of the Special Austalia-India Council Award