Meet Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP leader reappointed as union minister in Modi's new cabinet

Nirmala Sitharaman, a prominent Indian politician and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wassworn in as the Union Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new cabinet on Sunday (June 9).

She has held several key positions within the Indian government. Among the key positions held by her in the past were - Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs from 2019 - till June 2024.

As the first full-time female Finance Minister of India, Sitharaman oversaw the economic policies and financial management of the country, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

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She has also been instrumental in crafting the Union Budget and navigating the economy through challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In those turbulent times she was appointed to lead the COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force.

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Sitharaman also served as the Minister of Defence from 2017 to 2019. She became the second woman to hold the position of Defence Minister of India, after Indira Gandhi. She also served as the Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs from 2014 - 2017.

As part of the Narendra Modi-led government, she played a crucial role in financial policy-making and corporate governance.

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She also served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry from 2014 to 2017. She was responsible for trade negotiations and improving the ease of doing business in India.

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Before holding ministerial positions, Sitharaman served as the national spokesperson for the BJP, where she gained recognition for her articulate defence of the party’s policies and ideologies.

Before entering politics, Nirmala Sitharaman worked in various capacities, including as an assistant to an economist in the Agricultural Engineers Association in the UK, and later in the corporate sector in India. She also served as a member of the National Commission for Women.

Nirmala Sitharaman is married to Parakala Prabhakar, an economist and political commentator. They haveadaughter.

(With inputs from agencies)