M. V. Rajeev Gowda[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha for Karnataka | |
| In office 26 June 2014 – 25 June 2020 | |
| Succeeded by | Mallikarjun Kharge |
| Director, Central Board of Reserve Bank of India | |
| In office 2011–2014 | |
| Member, Executive Council & Mentor Group, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development | |
| In office 2007–2012 | |
| Director, General Insurance Corporation of India | |
| In office 2007–2010 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 October 1963 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Sharmila Bhaktaram |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | PhD(Public Policy & Management), M.A.(Economics), B.A. |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Fordham University St. Joseph's College, Bangalore |
| Occupation | Politician, Professor and Social Worker |
| Awards | John M. Olin Post-doctoral Fellowship in Law & Economics, University of California, Berkeley, USA University Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, USA Loyola Fellowship, Fordham University, USA |
| Website | rajeevgowda |
Mothakapalli Venkatappa Rajeev Gowda[2] is an Indian politician and academician. He is a former member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha and a national spokesperson for the Indian National Congress. He also currently serves as Chairman of the "Congress Research Department".[3] He was Professor of Economics and Social Sciences[4] and the Chairperson of the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and taught a range of courses. He served as the Director of the Central Board, Reserve Bank of India.[5] He is currently the Advisor for Bridge India,[6] a progressive non-profit think tank set up in London in 2018.
Rajeev Gowda was born into an eminent family in Bangalore and his father's and uncle's public lives influenced his own political ambitions.[7] His father, M. V. Venkatappa (1932–2013), held the positions of speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council. Venkatappa had worked as a member of Land Reforms Committee from 1972 to 1974 during the chief ministership of D. Devaraj Urs. He was also a prominent politician and was elected twice from the Mulbagal constituency, and also served as member of the upper house of the legislature for two terms.[8] Gowda's mother, Subhadra, is a social worker and has served as president of the Karnataka Mahila Sabha. His uncle M. V. Krishnappa was involved in India's independence movement and was also the founder of the Bangalore Dairy. He was a minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet and was elected to the Lok Sabha six times.[7]
In his youth, Gowda was active in student politics and was the vice-president of the students union at St. Joseph's College, Bangalore in 1982–83.[9] Later, he moved to the United States for his higher education and built his academic career there, attaining tenure as a professor at the University of Oklahoma before moving back to India after more than 16 years abroad to teach at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and pursue his political ambitions.[9]
Gowda studied economics and political science at St. Joseph's College, Bangalore. He was awarded the Bangalore University gold medal in political science and secured a fully funded scholarship to pursue Masters in Economics in Fordham University, New York. He holds a PhD in Public Policy & Management from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA. He was also a postdoctoral fellow in Law & Economics from University of Berkeley, California.
In 1991, Gowda was awarded the John M. Olin Post-doctoral Fellow in Law and Economics- Law School (Boalt Hall), University of California, Berkeley, USA. He was a visiting scholar at the Center for Jurisprudence and Social Policy- Law School (Boalt Hall), University of California. In the year 1992, he joined the University of Oklahoma as Assistant Professor of Political Science. From 1999 to 2000 he held the positions of Associate Professor of Political Science and Research Fellow in Science and Public Policy at the University of Oklahoma. He was also the Coordinator, Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Environment Program at the University in 1999.[4] In 2000, he moved to India to help set up the Centre for Public Policy at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and was Chairperson of the centre.[10] At present he is a professor at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
His other professional appointments include being a Carnegie Council Global Ethics Fellow and a Member of the Central Board, Reserve Bank of India. He has also held the positions of Director, General Insurance Corporation of India, 2007–2010 and Member, Executive Council, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, 2008–present. He has been an invited columnist for several publications including Deccan Herald, Economic Times, India Today, Times of India and Outlook.[2]
Prof. Gowda also co-founded the acclaimed Karnataka Quiz Association in 1983, and was the national runner up on BBC TV's Mastermind India in 2001.[11]
Gowda is a renowned expert in election law. He contributed to the Routledge Handbook of Election Law.[12]
Rajeev Gowda was chosen to launch the Congress party's younger generation election campaign nationally in Guwahati, 2004.
At the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, he is the official Spokesperson and Member of the Manifesto Committee. He was the Chairman of the BBMP Election Manifesto Drafting Committee, 2010 and an Ex-Convenor, Vichar Vibhag.
To strengthen the support base of the Congress online, Rajeev Gowda has co-founded and runs a pro-Congress blog site hamaracongress.com
Gowda is a member of the following committees in his capacity as a Member of Parliament:
Highlighting various programs pioneered by the Congress party:
Elections, polls, statehood:
Karnataka Elections and the formation of people's government:
Women's Safety: a high priority:
On the need for electoral and economic reforms:
Opinions:
