-
Period: to
Early Life & Education
- August 18, 1959 – Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Schooling – Attended schools in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
- 1980s – Earns a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Tiruchirapalli. 1984 – Completes her Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi.
-
Period: to
Early Career
- Moves to London with her husband, Parakala Prabhakar.
- Works at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as an economist.
- Briefly works at the Agricultural Engineers Association, UK.
- Returns to India and co-founds Pranava School in Hyderabad.
-
Period: to
Entry into Politics & Rise in BJP
- 2006 – Joins the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and begins working at the party’s headquarters.
- 2010 – Appointed as BJP’s National Spokesperson, frequently representing the party in media debates and discussions.
- 2014 (May) – BJP wins the General Elections, and Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister.
-
Period: to
Ministerial Roles & Leadership
- May 2014 – Becomes Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry.
- November 2014 – Also given responsibility as Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs.
- 2017 (September 3) – Appointed as India’s first full-time female Defence Minister, a historic moment in Indian politics.
- 2017–2019 – Oversees critical defence decisions, including India’s 2019 Balakot airstrike following the Pulwama attack.
-
Period: to
Finance Minister & Economic Leadership
- 2019 – Becomes India’s first full-time female Finance Minister.
- 2019–2023 – Presents five Union Budgets, focusing on economic growth, tax reforms, and digital banking.
- 2020 – Announces a ₹20 lakh crore COVID-19 relief package to support the economy.
- 2021–2023 – Implements crypto regulations, infrastructure investment, and financial reforms.
- 2024–Present – Continues leading India’s economic policies and fiscal strategies.
-
Current Role
- Continues as Finance Minister, playing a crucial role in India’s economic policies and growth strategies.