The Power Of Parenting: How Nirmala Sitharaman’s Parents Shaped Her Leadership Journey

India’s Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, is presenting her eighth consecutive Union Budget today, coming very close to breaking the record of 10 consecutive budgets held by Morarji Desai, Former Prime Minister. We can't help but wonder what drives her to take on such a challenging responsibility year after year and what keeps her going. 

It’s partly because of her unwavering commitment to India’s progress & growth, and partly because of her upbringing. Read to know the hidden childhood influence that shaped Nirmala Sitharaman’s life and ideologies. 

Nirmala Sitharaman’s Childhood 

Nirmala Sitharaman was born on 18th August 1959, in a middle-class family from Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu. She spent most of her childhood travelling from one city to another because her father, Narayanan Sitharaman worked in the Indian Railways and had a transferable job. So, whenever her father was transferred to a new place, she and the family followed. 

Nirmala is the youngest of three siblings. She has an elder brother and an elder sister. 

How Nirmala Sitharaman’s Parents Inspired Her

Nirmala was raised in a conservative and traditional family. She has been quite vocal about how her upbringing has positively influenced her political views. From a young age, she was deeply influenced by the values instilled in her by both of her parents, Savitri and Narayanan Sitharaman. 

Her father’s profession taught her the importance of discipline and adaptability because of the constant changes. This also gave her a lot of exposure which made it easier for her to understand the challenges that people from different regions faced. Despite all the travelling and shifting, he made sure that her education did not suffer. Her mother, Shrimati Savitri loved to read books and this nurtured Nirmala’s deep appreciation for knowledge and learning.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s Education

Since Nirmala was born into a middle-class family, education was always the top priority for her parents. Nirmala completed her graduation in Economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College Tiruchirappalli, following which she moved to Delhi where she completed her Master's and M.Phil. in Economics from Jawahar Lal Nehru University.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s parents have been a constant support in her life. In 2019, they attended her maiden budget speech in Lok Sabha, showing their unwavering support for their daughter.

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