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"I stick to what I strongly believe in": FM opens up on her life journey
New Delhi
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a rare personal conversation, said that one of her core values—often mistaken for rigidity—is simply sticking to what she strongly believes in.
Sitharaman was speaking to entrepreneur Mark Laitflang Stone in the greens of Ward's Lake in Shillong, Meghalaya, on topics ranging from her journey as an educator to becoming a minister.
'People sometimes ask me why you have to be so rigid on this, so rigid on that. It is not rigidity. I am just sticking to what I believe very strongly in—particularly if you have been given an opportunity to serve the country… I don't do any explaining,' she said.
The finance minister spoke about her time as one of the founders of a school in Hyderabad, long before entering politics, and how even now, those who knew her then still call out 'Nirmala Ma'am'.
She recounted how she entered the education space in the early years of her daughter's schooling. 'It became a routine in the family and they said, why don't you run a school… And I said, why not,' she added.
Sitharaman reflected on her experience as an educator—from ensuring children with special needs were in mainstream classrooms and receiving extra attention, to organising trips for students to places such as Tibet, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat.
She also spoke about the energy and commitment of her team in government, saying they often reframed her priorities and objectives. She acknowledged that while governance comes with limitations, it also presents powerful opportunities.
'…Yet it gives you that kind of an opportunity which can open an entire world for some sections of the people. I depend on my team for my performance. I will never hesitate to recognise them,' she said.
Sitharaman also praised the spirit of the youth in the North East, saying they do not perceive challenges as hindrances. 'Hindrance is only when they have to go far away from home to seek what they can otherwise seek at home,' she said.
She added that every North Eastern state sees opportunity not just in building roads and bridges, but in creating material advantages by giving youth the right skills. 'The dividend they have placed on making youth a big catalyst is showing in both the enthusiasm of the youth and the government saying that is the best way. That I see in common in all the eight states.'
The finance minister said the government has relentlessly pursued better connectivity for the North East—both within the region and with the rest of the country.
'Digitisation has opened up avenues for the North East—with ONDC, etc., giving a window to reach products to a larger audience, which was not there before,' Sitharaman said.
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