Rajnath assumes charge as Defence Minister

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Rajnath Singh took over as the Defence Minister on June 1, 2019. On his arrival at the Ministry of Defence in South Block, Rajnath Singh was received by the Minister of State for Defence Shripad Yesso Naik, three Services’ Chiefs, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra,  Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy,  Secretary (Defence Production) Dr Ajay Kumar and Mrs S Kutty, Secretary ESW. Rajnath was Minister of Home Affairs since May 27, 2014.

Rajnath was given a brief presentation on the functioning of the MoD and all the four Departments of the MoD namely Department of Defence, Department of Defence Production, Department of Ex-serviceman Welfare, and Department of Research and Development Organization. He instructed the officers to prepare detailed presentations on all Divisions and set time bound targets to achieve the desired outcome.

Rajnath was born on July 10, 1951 in district Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh. He did his masters in Physics from University of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. He was a teacher by profession. He served as Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1977 – 1980 and 2001 – 2003. He was Minister of Education in Uttar Pradesh in 1991 -1992. He served as Minister of Surface Transport in the Union Cabinet from 1999 to 2000. Later, he was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2000 – 2002. In 2003, he served as Minister of Agriculture in the Union Cabinet.

He was a Rajya Sabha Member from 1994 -1999 and again from 2003-2008. In 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha. He is married to Savitri Singh and they have two sons, according to a PIB release.