[3] He was Professor of Economics and Social Sciences[4] and the Chairperson of the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and taught a range of courses.

Rajeev Gowda was born into an eminent family in Bangalore and his father's and uncle's public lives influenced his own political ambitions.

His other professional appointments include being a Carnegie Council Global Ethics Fellow and a Member of the Central Board, Reserve Bank of India.

He has also held the positions of Director, General Insurance Corporation of India, 2007–2010 and Member, Executive Council, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, 2008–present.

[2] Prof. Gowda also co-founded the acclaimed Karnataka Quiz Association in 1983, and was the national runner up on BBC TV's Mastermind India in 2001.

[14] Rajeev Gowda was chosen to launch the Congress party's younger generation election campaign nationally in Guwahati, 2004.

To strengthen the support base of the Congress online, Rajeev Gowda has co-founded and runs a pro-Congress blog site hamaracongress.com Gowda is a member of the following committees in his capacity as a Member of Parliament: Highlighting various programs pioneered by the Congress party: Elections, polls, statehood: Karnataka Elections and the formation of people's government: Women's Safety: a high priority: On the need for electoral and economic reforms: Opinions: