Subramanian cites 'family commitments' to step down as Chief Economic Adviser

NEW DELHI: Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian will go back to the US after serving nearly four years in the post, Union Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday.

"He would like to go back to the United States on account of pressing family commitments. ..He left me with no option but to agree with him," Arun Jaitley said in a Facebook post.

Jaitley, who is in the hospital recovering from surgery, said Subramanian had met him over video-conference a few days ago. "His reasons were personal but extremely important for him," he said.

Subramanian, 59, a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, joined as the Chief Economic Adviser on October 16, 2014, for three years, which was extended. He took over when his predecessor Raghuram Rajan became RBI governor.

"On the expiry of the three years, I had requested him to continue for some more time. Even at that stage, he told me that he was torn between family commitment and his current job which he considered the best and most fulfilling he has ever done," Jaitley said in his post, which was full of praise for Subramanian.

Subramanian built up a "strong team of both insiders and outsiders", said the minister.

"He would walk into my room - at times several times a day, addressing me as 'Minister' to give either the good news or otherwise. I will miss his departure," Jaitley wrote, ending his glowing tribute with the words that are also the title of his post: "Thank you, Arvind".

Subramanian said his role as the Chief Economic Adviser had been the "most rewarding, fulfilling, exciting" jobs he has ever had.

Subramanian graduated from Delhi's St Stephen's College and got an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Ahmedabad. He received his doctorate from the Oxford University, UK.

Later at a media briefing asked when he would be leaving, Subramanian said the exact date has not yet been decided

"I would be leaving in a month or two," Subramanian said, adding that he was expecting a grandchild in September. See P5