Biography Of Nirmala Sitharaman
Nirmala Sitharaman is a prominent Indian politician and the first full-time female Finance Minister of India. She is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has served in several key positions in the Indian government.
Early Life and Education: Nirmala Sitharaman was born on August 18, 1959, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Her father worked in the Indian Railways, and she grew up in different parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. She completed her schooling in various Kendriya Vidyalayas and later pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Tiruchirapalli, and a Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. She also holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from the University of Madras.
Career: After completing her education, Nirmala Sitharaman worked with Price Waterhouse in London, UK, and later with the BBC World Service. She also served as a Senior Manager at the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s external intelligence agency.
In 2006, Nirmala Sitharaman joined the BJP and quickly rose through the ranks. She was appointed as the party’s national spokesperson in 2010 and was later made the party’s national executive member. In 2014, when the BJP came to power at the center, she was appointed as the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. In this role, she played a crucial role in negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and led India’s delegation to various trade conferences.
In 2017, Nirmala Sitharaman was promoted to the position of Defence Minister, becoming only the second woman to hold this position in India after Indira Gandhi. As Defence Minister, she oversaw several key defence deals, including the purchase of Apache and Chinook helicopters from the United States and the Rafale fighter jets from France.
In 2019, Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as the Finance Minister of India, becoming the first full-time female Finance Minister of India. In her first budget, she focused on boosting infrastructure, increasing foreign investment, and promoting the agricultural sector. She also announced a reduction in corporate tax rates to encourage investment.
Personal Life: Nirmala Sitharaman is married to Parakala Prabhakar, a political analyst, and has a daughter. She is fluent in English, Hindi, and Tamil.
Achievements and Awards: Nirmala Sitharaman has been recognized for her contributions to public life and has received several awards and honors. In 2018, Forbes named her as the 34th most powerful woman in the world. She has also been awarded the ‘Best Parliamentarian Award’ by the President of India in 2019.
Conclusion: Nirmala Sitharaman is a dynamic and accomplished politician who has served in several key positions in the Indian government. Her contributions to public life have been recognized both in India and internationally, and she has been a trailblazer for women in politics. As Finance Minister, she has played an important role in shaping India’s economic policies and has worked towards boosting growth and development.
