Thiruvananthapuram: Harvard University professor Gita Gopinath, who has been appointed as Kerala chief ninister's economic adviser amidst controversy, said that she was lucky to be born a Malayali and if she were given the opportunity to choose a place to be born again, the choice would be the same.
In fact, she had expressed her love for the state in no uncertain terms years ago. That was when she came down to Kochi to attend the Emerging Kerala Investors' Meet in 2012.
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The organizers’ search for a leading academic expert from abroad with backgrounds in economics and finance ended in Gita, who was with Harvard University at that time as well. Accepting the invitation from her home state wholeheartedly, she attended the plenary session of the global connect event held on September 12, 2012. Draped in a traditional Kasavu sari, she was the cynosure of all eyes at the program attended by hundreds of delegates from across the world.
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She began her speech referring to a famous theory developed by American political philosopher John Rawls. “If I were a fetus in my mother’s womb and I was asked to choose a state in India to be born again, I wouldn’t think twice before picking Kerala. The reason is simple. First and foremost, I would not be killed just after birth for being a girl child. I would not face gender discrimination throughout my life. Parents would ensure education for me regardless of their financial status. I would be able to live longer and healthy and get decent salaries as well. So, I’m proud to be born in this part of the world,” she said.
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Gita’s father T.V. Gopinath hails from Mayyil and mother Vijayalakshmi from Kuttikattoor, both in Kannur. Gopinath was a member of the National Horticulture Board. The family has been living in Mysore for several decades. The couple has two daughters and Gita is the younger one.
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After completing Plus Two from Mysore, she did her degree in Economics at Lady Shri Ram College for Women in Delhi and post graduate degree at the Delhi School of Economics. Later, she joined the Washington University for higher studies and came out with flying colors.
She is married to Iqbal Dhaliwal, an IAS topper from Punjab. They have a son, Rohit.
Gita, who had visited Kerala in last December, will return to the state after five months to hold meetings with the chief minister and other officials before taking up the honorary position.