Montek Singh Ahluwalia

Montek Singh Ahluwalia is a prominent Indian economist who has served the country in various departments. Formerly, a director at the International Monetary Fund, he is known as the youngest member of the World Bank to hold a distinguished position of Division Chief. Montek Singh Ahluwalia was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He completed his schooling from St. Patrick's High School in Secunderabad, Delhi Public School of Mathura Road and Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. He then went on to St. Stephen's College in Delhi to earn a degree in B.A. (Hons). He also graduated from the Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Further, Montek Singh earned a B.Phil in economics at the same university in Oxford; this degree was later reconsidered as an M.Phil.

After completing his studies, Ahluwalia began his career in 1968 as an economist at the World Bank in Washington. In 1979, he came back to India to serve as an Economic Advisor to the Finance Minister. Montek was appointed as Secretary of Commerce in 1990 and then he became Secretary in Department of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Finance. In 1998, Ahluwalia was appointed as the Member of Planning Commission and Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.

In 2001, the Government appointed him as the Director of Independent Evaluation Office of the IMF (International Monetary Fund). However, he resigned from this position in 2004 to become the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. Montek Singh Ahluwalia was honored with the 'Doctor of Civil Law' by the University of Oxford in 2008. Following this accolade, he received the 'Padma Vibhushan' from the President of India in 2011.