Ashwini Vaishnaw has been appointed as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) in the Modi Cabinet 3.0. In the previous term, Anurag Thakur, the BJP MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was the I&B minister.
Additionally, L Murugan has assumed charge as the Minister of State for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
According to the official communique from the office of the President of India, Vaishnaw has been appointed as the Minister of Railways; Minister of Information and Broadcasting; and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology.
Vaishnaw last served as the Minister of Railways. In July 2021, in the 22nd cabinet reshuffle, he was given the responsibility of the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Communications.
The Wharton-educated minister is an alumnus of the prestigious IIT Kanpur.
Vaishnaw begun his career in 1994 with the Indian Administrative Service holding various positions including District Collector of Balasore and Cuttack districts; Private Secretary to former Prime Minister, Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004.
Murugan has assumed charge as the Minister of State for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Prior to this, he was the Union Minister of State in July 2021. Murugan is also a former Tamil Nadu president of the BJP.
Murugan pursued his law degree from Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law College, Chennai. He further earned his master's degree PhD from University of Madras.
As reported earlier, BJP insiders had said that the party would like to keep the most crucial portfolios like Home, External Affairs, Defence and Finance with itself. Speculations were about who would handle the plum portfolio of Information and Broadcasting (I&B). In the previous government, the berth was held by Anurag Thakur, who was earlier BCCI chief and had also handled the Youth Affairs and Sports portfolio.