The NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that Ashwini Vaishnaw has been bestowed with three crucial ministries, including the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Besides I&B, Vaishnaw has retained his previous portfolio of the Railway Ministry and has bagged the Electronics & IT Ministry also, which was earlier handled by Rajiv Chandrashekhar who has been dropped from the Cabinet this time. 

Ashwini Vaishnaw (53), who is considered one of the biggest “lateral entries” into politics, has emerged as one of the most powerful ministers in the Modi 3.0 government.  

The former bureaucrat, who hails from the Pali district of Rajasthan, was first elected to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha in 2019. He came to the limelight when PM Modi inducted him into his Cabinet. Vaishnaw was renominated to Rajya Sabha early this year. 

Odisha to PMO 

Vaishnaw, during his tenure as an IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, served in various districts of the state and was lauded for his proactive measures during the 'super cyclone' that hit the eastern state in October-November 1999.

“He played a crucial role in collecting real-time data regarding the cyclone's timing and location. This data proved instrumental as the government of Odisha utilized it to implement necessary safety measures,” officials say. 

Later, Vaishnaw was appointed as deputy secretary in the office of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002 when the BJP had an alliance with the BJD.

During his tenure in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), he was pivotal in developing the framework for public-private partnerships in infrastructure projects.

Following the BJP-led NDA's defeat in the 2004 elections, Vaishnaw took on the role of private secretary to Vajpayee.

Academic record

After graduating from MBM Engineering College (JNVU) in Jodhpur in 1991, Ashwini Vaishnaw received a gold medal in electronic and communications engineering. He further obtained an M.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur.

In 1994, with an impressive all-India rank of 27, Vaishnaw joined the Indian Administrative Services (IAS). He gained significant experience working in various regions of Odisha, including his role as the District Collector of Balasore and Cuttack districts.

Seeking to expand his knowledge and skills, he ventured to the United States in 2008 to pursue an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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