India, on 3 September, got its second woman defence minister – Nirmala Sitharaman – after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet saw induction of new ministers ahead of the 2019 General Elections.
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was the first woman to hold the portfolio, though as an additional charge.
Nirmala Sitharaman credited her elevation to “cosmic grace” and support from party leadership. She told reporters here after taking oath:
Somebody who has come from a small town, grown into the party with all the support of the leadership, and if given such responsibility, it just makes you feel sometimes that cosmic grace is there. Otherwise it is impossible.
Speaking to LiveFist after her appointment, Sitharaman said that she “wastes no time plunging into new assignments” and that she has been “handpicked to steer a ministry entering a more complex phase”.
Sitharaman taking complete charge of the ministry comes as a relief, amid aggravated tensions between India and its neighbours, Pakistan and China.
Sitharaman joined the BJP in 2008 and was made a member of the National Executive. She was nominated as party spokesperson in March 2010 and since then had remained a full time party worker.
She was inducted in PM Modi's Union Cabinet on 26 May 2014 as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Commerce & Industry, as well as a Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs.
‘Two Key Messages With One Appointment'
Twitterati hailed the NDA government's move to appoint Sitharaman as the defence minister.
So all the generals will be doffing their hats to a lady boss. That's a big one. Huge. Way to go. Kudos. #NirmalaSitharaman
Am pretty sure that @nsitharaman as Defence minister seals the debate once in for all on women in Combat. Super! Hurrah! #cabinetreshuffle
Modi's choice of #NirmalaSitharaman would have been guided not just by her competence but also her integrity. Non-negotiable for Defence.
Women's empowerment & rewarding merit. Two key messages with one appointment. Beat that. #NirmalaSitharaman #CabinetResuffle https://t.co/BOGnLGJFRt
‘India's First Defence Minister From JNU'
JNU VC can now directly approach it's ex student for tanks supply for campus as JNU student Nirmala Sitharaman is new defence minister. 😀😀😀
Better headline would be, Nirmala is the first female defence minister from JNU
Congrats @nsitharaman Defence Minister. Superb !!!
By choosing @nsitharaman as first full time woman defence minister of India PM @narendramodi has carried out another surgical strike!
Nirmala Sitharaman - Defence ministry
Sushma Swaraj - Foreign ministry
Smriti Irani - I & B Ministry
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