New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the appointment of Usha Janakiraman as its new Executive Director (ED), effective December 1, 2025. The appointment marks a significant advancement in her distinguished career within India’s central banking institution.
A Leader With Three Decades of Central Banking Experience
Janakiraman brings with her over 30 years of extensive experience across multiple critical verticals of the Reserve Bank. Her professional journey has seen her contribute to and lead work in financial regulation, external investment and operations, banking supervision, public debt management, currency management, and other core areas central to the functioning of the RBI.
Before assuming her new role as Executive Director, she served as Chief General Manager-in-Charge in the Department of Regulation at the RBI’s Central Office in Mumbai, overseeing policy work in a domain vital for maintaining the soundness and discipline of India’s banking ecosystem.
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Responsibilities as Executive Director
In her new capacity, Ms. Janakiraman will oversee the Department of Supervision (Risk, Analytics and Vulnerability Assessment). This department plays a crucial role in strengthening the supervisory architecture of the Indian financial system. It focuses on identifying systemic risks, analyzing vulnerabilities across financial entities, and ensuring that supervisory mechanisms remain robust, data-driven, and forward-looking.
Her appointment is expected to bolster the RBI’s ongoing efforts to enhance supervisory efficiency through technology-enabled analytics and risk-based methodologies—an area where her background and experience position her strongly.
A Chartered Accountant With a Strong Professional Record
Ms. Janakiraman is also a Chartered Accountant, a qualification that complements her long regulatory and supervisory career. Her financial acumen, combined with her experience in several cross-functional departments, is expected to further strengthen the RBI’s leadership team at a time when the financial sector continues to evolve rapidly.
About the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
The Reserve Bank of India, established in 1935, is the nation’s central bank responsible for regulating the monetary and financial system. It oversees banking regulation, currency issuance, financial stability, and payment systems while formulating policies that support economic growth and price stability. As the apex monetary authority, the RBI plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s financial landscape.
