India born Gita Gopinath has joined International Monetary Fund as its chief economist.

She has first woman to occupy the top IMF post. Gopinath succeeds Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld as Economic Counsellor and Director of the IMF’s Research Department. Obstfeld retired on December the 31st.

The 11th chief economist of the IMF, Gopinath in a recent interview to The Harvard Gazette described her appointment at the IMF as a “tremendous honour”.