Smriti Irani retains textiles ministry portfolio

Smriti Zubin Irani has been once again allotted the portfolio of the ministry of textiles by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Irani took oath as a minister with Cabinet rank along with Prime Minister and other ministers at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

 Irani defeated Congress president Rahul Gandhi in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

In the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Modi, Irani will also head the ministry of women and child development.

In the previous NDA government, Irani was initially appointed as minister of human resources and development, and was later shifted as the new Cabinet minister of textiles.

A television actor turned politician, Irani began her political career by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2003.