SS Tarapore, former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and a noted economist, has passed away in Mumbai, at the age of 80. Tarapore joined the RBI in 1961 and retired in 1996 as deputy governor, having been involved in almost all aspects of monetary policy. He served as RBI deputy governor between 1992 and 1996 when C. Rangarajan was the governor. This was a period of rapid change for the Indian economy, with the government having introduced economic reforms in 1991.

Tarapore is known among central bankers and economists as an economist who had strong views on issues—ranging from inflation to capital account convertibility. These views were reflected in RBI policies during his tenure and they continued to be influential even after his retirement through columns that he wrote in various domestic publications.

Tarapore was also known as an inflation hawk, chiding policymakers through his public comments and writings for being too lax on inflation control.