Vijay Kelkar is an Indian economist and academic, who is currently the Chairman of the Forum of Federations, Ottawa & India Development Foundation, New Delhi and Chairman of Janwani a social initiative of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce,Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) in Pune. He was born on May 15, 1942 in India. Kelkar, holds B.E., from College of Engineering Pune, India, 1963, M.S., from University of Minnesota, USA, 1965 and Ph. D in Economics from University of California Berkeley, USA, 1970. In 1994, he served as Petroleum Secretary and was made Finance Secretary in 1998. He was an executive director in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), overseeing its operations in South Asia during 2000-02. Dr. Kelkar has retired as Chairman, Finance Commission, in the rank of a Union Cabinet Minister. He has held several other key positions in the Government of India, amongst them Advisor to the Minister of Finance; Finance Secretary; Chairman, Tariff Commission and Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He was elected as the Chairman of the Forum of Federations, Ottawa, Canada (2010-13). In January 2011, the President of India awarded Dr. Vijay L. Kelkar â??PADMA VIBHUSHANâ?, the second highest Civilian Award for distinguished and exceptional service to the Nation.