MUMBAI: After unexpected resignation of Urjit Patel, NS Vishwanathan, the senior most deputy governor of the central bank, may be made interim head of the RBI as per the sources.

NS Vishwanathan was appointed as RBI Deputy Governor on July 4, 2016 for a period of three years. As per the sources, If appointed interim head, Mr Vishwanathan would head the central board meeting scheduled this Friday.

The Friday meeting is considered important as it is going to take up governance issue and concerns on liquidity and credit flow to productive sectors, especially Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME).

The source further added that an important institution like the RBI cannot be headless for long and the government will soon initiate the process for finding the replacement for Urjit Patel.

The other three deputy governors are Viral Acharya, BP Kanungo and MK Jain. Both Mr Vishwanathan and Mr Kanungo are career central bankers.

Earlier Urjit Patel, who was appointed the 24th Governor of the RBI on September, 2016 for a three-year term resigned on Monday from his post citing "personal reasons", creating a crisis in the RBI.