Syed Akbaruddin, Annie George Mathew Join RBI Board

On 22 August 2026, the Government of India appointed Syed Akbaruddin, Annie George Mathew and Janmejaya Kumar Sinha as part-time, non-official directors on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointments under Section 8(1)(c) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, for a tenure of four years. The approved appointments increased the active strength of the RBI’s governing board from 11 members to 14.

Reserve Bank of India Central Board

The Central Board of the RBI is the apex governing body of the central bank. It consists of official directors, non-official directors and government nominees under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The board exercises powers related to the general superintendence and direction of the RBI.

Section 8 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934

Section 8 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 provides for the constitution of the Central Board. Section 8(1)(c) covers the appointment of non-official directors. The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 is the principal law governing the RBI, which was established in 1935.

Profiles of the Appointees

Syed Akbaruddin served as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Annie George Mathew is an officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service and serves as a full-time member of the Sixteenth Finance Commission in New Delhi. Janmejaya Kumar Sinha is an economist and former Chairman of Boston Consulting Group Asia-Pacific.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Reserve Bank of India was established in 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
• The Central Board of the RBI is the main governing body of the central bank.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approves several senior appointments in the Government of India.
• The Sixteenth Finance Commission is a constitutional body that examines Centre-State fiscal relations.

Former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra were also appointed in the same period. The RBI Board additions were made through part-time, non-official directorships for a four-year term.