Who is Nirmala Sitharaman
Nirmala Sitharaman is an Indian politician who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party. She is currently the Finance and Industry Minister of India. Sitharaman has been a member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka since 2014.
Sitharaman’s Family
Born on August 18, 1959 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu to middle parents Shri Narayan Sitharaman and Smt. Savitri. Nirmala Sitharaman’s father works in a railway station while her mother is a housewife. She inherited his father’s discipline and her mother’s love of books.
While studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), She met Parakala Prabhakar and later married him in 1986 and moved to London. Dr Parakala Prabhaka is a student of the London School of Economics (LSE) and JNU. Shri Prabhaka comes from a pro-Congress family while Nirmala Sitharaman is fond of Bhartiya Janata party. However, in 1991 Nirmala Sitharaman and Dr Prabhakar returned to India and moved to Narsapuram in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Later, they were blessed with one child and settled in Hyderabad.
Education
Nirmala Seetharaman completed her graduation and bachelor’s degree from Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College Sitharaman continued her studies at Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy University, Tiruchirappalli. Later, She pursued Masters in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi in 1980.
She also holds a Ph.D. in Indo-European Textile Trade under GATT and M. Phil. Sitharaman served at Pricewaterhouse Coopers as CEO and later for the BBC World Service. She was a member of the National Women’s Commission from 2003 to 2005. She founded a school in Hyderabad called Pranava School.
Political career of Nirmala Sitharaman
Outspoken, Nirmala was one of the spokespersons of the BJP under Ravi Shankar Prasad. Although her husband and family were pro-Congress, Sitharaman joined the BJP in 2006. In line with his achievements in London, he rose to the heights of success in the BJP and held many important positions within the party.
In 2010, under the leadership of Nitin Gadkari, he appointed a single speaker. After assuming the role of party spokesperson, he defended the BJP in all situations and praised party leaders including Modi in the national media. He became a popular face not only in Delhi but also in major restaurants in Gujarat. Sitharaman came into contact with BJP president Sushma Swaraj when she was a member of the National Commission for Women (NCW) from 2003 to 2005.
Impressed by her personality and outspoken views, Swaraj supported Sitharaman in the party. She was also made a member of the Rajya Sabha of Andhra Pradesh. The seat remained vacant after the death of Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the main coalition partner of the BJP, gave the seat to Sitharaman. She is currently an MP for the Rajya Sabha representing Karnataka. Known for his kind ways,
She played a major role in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. He predicted Narendra Modi as the future Prime Minister of India. It is believed that his hard work and dedication will earn him a place in Modi’s cabinet. Finally, in May 2014, She was promoted to minister. While speaking recently about the Companies Act 2013, She said that changes in the Act are not sustainable if the stakeholders are happy with the changes in the Act.
Reminiscing about her life, she says, “I envy the girl I used to be. The best advice I ever received? Always choose the middle path and try to maintain balance. In other words, you should never overdo it – beg too hard or you will lose your dignity, or be bold and aggressive or and you will lose. Stay strong. This way, you won’t fall far.
Aid packages amid the COVID-19 pandemic
After the COVID-19 crisis, Sitharaman became the leader of the COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force.
He unveiled the 20 lakh crore aid package ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ during a press conference at the National Media Centre. The Rs 20 lakh crore relief package includes the previous package announced by the GOI and the central bank RBI to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi, in his fifth speech to the nation, since the country’s lockdown, announced this package to make India more confident and encourage people to speak for local production, i.e. using swadeshi. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted, “This will not be just a financial package, but a renaissance of reform, change of mindset and commitment to governance.”
Both the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have indicated that this massive package will boost India’s economy and support people from all walks of life during this pandemic.
