Today, 18th August marks the 61st birthday of India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. From a middle-class ordinary girl to working like a wonder woman ever since2017 for the industrial progress and betterment of the nation. Here are some interesting that you have might know or not about nation’s Finance minister
She was born in a middle-class family in Madurai and is a classical music enthusiast
Nirmala Sitharaman was born on August 18, 1959, to a middle-class family in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu. Her father, Narayan Sitharaman was an employee in the Railways and her mother, Savitri Sitharaman was a homemaker. Due to her father job, she spent her childhood in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Sitharaman is a great fan of classical music and listens to them quite often from time-to-time. She also likes reading.
She is India’s first full-time finance minister and defence minister as well:
Sitharaman was the first woman to be appointed full-time Defence Minister of India in September 2017 and to hold the office as the full-time finance. She handled the defence ministry during the first term of the Modi government. Before her, Indira Gandhi had also handled this position as an additional responsibility while also serving as the Prime Minister of the country, between 1970-71.
An alumna of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi
Nirmala Sitharaman is the alumna of JNU. Sitharaman completed her schooling from Chennai and Tiruchirappalli. She pursued her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics at the Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Tiruchirapalli in 1980 and completed her masters in economics from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1984. However, Sitharaman joined the BJP in 2006 and was soon appointed as a spokesperson for the party in 2010 and later came to be known as the voice and face of the party.
Her husband’s family is pro-Congres
While Sitharaman was pursuing her studies in the JNU, she met Parakala Prabhakar, her future husband whose family has several Congress leaders. Later in 1986 she got married to Prabhakar and moved to London.
Sitharaman has worked as a Salesgirl in London
After moving to London, Sitharaman did a range of jobs ranging as the Senior Manager of Research and Analysis with Price Waterhouse to as a salesgirl at Habitat, a home decor store in London regent Street. She also has experience in BBC World Service for a brief period of time.
Worked as a member of the National Women Commission
Before starting her political journey with BJP in 2006 as the voice and face of the party, Sitharaman was a member of the National Women Commission from 2003 to 2005.
