Sitharaman adding momentum to endeavour of strong, self-reliant India, says PM Modi on FM's birthday

New Delhi, Aug 18 (AHN) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended birthday greetings to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and praised her efforts to advance economic reforms and development, saying that she is contributing to the country's endeavour to become stronger and more self-reliant.

PM Modi took to social media 'X' and said, "Best wishes to FM Nirmala Sitharaman Ji on her birthday. With her emphasis on reforms and economic development, she is adding momentum to our endeavour of being a strong and self-reliant India. May she be blessed with a long and healthy life."

Sitharaman, one of the senior leaders of the BJP, has been serving as India's Finance Minister and Minister of Corporate Affairs since 2019. She is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, and has represented Karnataka since 2016, after earlier representing Andhra Pradesh.

Before taking charge of the Finance Ministry, Sitharaman served as India's Defence Minister from 2017 to 2019. She became the second woman after late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to hold the Defence portfolio and the first woman to serve as the country's full-time Defence Minister.

Sitharaman entered the Union government in 2014 as a Minister of State in the Ministries of Finance and Corporate Affairs. She later served as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry from May 2014 to September 2017, before being elevated to the Cabinet.

Her political career in the BJP began in 2006, and she was appointed the party's National Spokesperson in 2010. Following the BJP's victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, she joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. She was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh in June 2014 and subsequently won a Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka in 2016.

Born on August 18, 1959, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, to Savitri and Narayanan Sitharaman, she completed her schooling in Madras and Tiruchirappalli. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College in Tiruchirappalli.

She later moved to New Delhi in 1984 to pursue higher studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where she completed her Master's degree and M.Phil in Economics.

On May 31, 2019, Sitharaman assumed charge as Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister, becoming India's first full-time woman Finance Minister. She presented her first Union Budget on July 5, 2019, and subsequently presented the Union Budget for 2020-21 on February 1, 2020.

She became only the second woman to present the Union Budget after late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had presented the Budget for 1970-71 while serving as Finance Minister.

Sitharaman has also received international recognition for her political and economic influence. She was ranked 36th on Forbes' 2022 list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women and moved up to 32nd in the 2023 rankings. Fortune has also recognised her as the most powerful woman in India.

Over the years, Sitharaman has emerged as one of the key figures in the Narendra Modi-led government, particularly in the areas of economic policy, fiscal management, corporate affairs and structural reforms. Her tenure as Finance Minister has coincided with several major policy initiatives aimed at strengthening India's economy and promoting domestic capabilities.