Smriti Irani
Cabinet Minister (2014–2024), Government of India
Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum
Summary
Ms. Smriti Irani is a distinguished leader with over 25 years of experience in governance and policy making. She has held pivotal Cabinet positions, leading transformative initiatives across the Ministry of Education, Textiles, Women and Child Development, and Minority Affairs. Her leadership is marked by innovative strategies, digital transformation, and a focus on gender equity and sustainable development.
Key Roles
Women and Child Development (2019–2024)
● Conceptualized the POSHAN Tracker, the world’s largest platform delivering benefits to 100 million women and children across 1.4 million nutrition centers with support from a 2.2 million-strong nutrition workforce, earning the National Award for e-Governance 2024 (Gold) for Government Process Re-engineering.
● Developed three flagship national schemes to enable digital delivery of services, overhauled the Indian juvenile justice system, and complemented these efforts with institutional safeguards to protect the rights of women and children.
● Facilitated the establishment of 700 crisis centers, providing medico-legal support to survivors of violence, alongside the creation of fast-track courts to expedite justice delivery.
Minority Affairs (2022–2024)
● Enabled participation of over 4,000 women under the 'Lady Without Mahram' category for the Haj pilgrimage, addressing the administrative compulsion of requiring male supervision and setting a precedent for inclusivity and access.
● Redesigned the logistical framework for Haj operations post-COVID by introducing the first-ever integrated digital solution- the Haj Suvidha App, to streamline visa processing, medical clearances, and logistical arrangements. This initiative enhanced operational efficiency, accessibility, and convenience, earning recognition for its user-centric approach.
Textiles (2016–2021)
● Directed India’s indigenous PPE manufacturing, positioning it as the second-largest global producer within 4 months during COVID-19.
● Secured HSN Code recognition for 300+ technical textiles, driving innovation across industries such as aerospace, defense, and agriculture.
● Led strategic efforts to expand India’s toy sector, increasing exports by 239% and doubling manufacturing units
Education (2014–2016)
● Conceptualized and led the formulation of the National Education Policy (NEP) after 34 years, ushering in transformative reforms to modernize India's education system through comprehensive stakeholder engagement and collaborative policymaking.
● Oversaw the creation of the SWAYAM, India’s first open Massive Open Online Courses platform, enabling access to education for over 11 million students.
● Conceptualized initiatives to enhance academic excellence and global collaboration. Developed the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) to benchmark institutions, the National Digital Library (NDL) for accessible education, GIAN for international faculty exchange, and IMPRINT to drive research in areas such as affordable housing, healthcare, and energy, fostering innovation and sustainable development.
Information and Broadcasting (2017–2018)
● Optimized operations and enhanced transparency across Doordarshan, India’s national public broadcaster for radio and television, driving a 30% revenue growth within a single financial year.
Leadership in BJP
● National Vice President, National Secretary (two terms), National-President Women’s Wing and National Executive Member for five terms
Additional Roles and Achievements
● Founder, Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality, a World Economic Forum initiative aligned with BIMSTEC and G20, driving global efforts to address social and economic disparities through gender-focused programs.
● Strategic Advisor, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), representing the interests of 80 million small traders in India.
● Advisory Board Member, Women’s Collective Forum, focused on promoting gender equality and advancing women’s health, education, and entrepreneurship.
● Vice-President, The Loomba Foundation, supporting widows and their children globally, irrespective of race, gender, or religion.
● Represented the Asia-Pacific Region at the 126th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly.
Teaching Roles
● Adjunct Faculty Member at Indian Institute of Management Udaipur and Bodhgaya, teaching Public Speaking and Human Resource Management.
Certifications
● Business Analytics: Decision-Making Using Data – University of Cambridge (2022).
● Berkeley Fintech Program – University of California (2021).
Personal Achievements
● Advocated for legal aid to women officers, leading to the Permanent Commission for Women in the Indian Army (2010).
● Launched Saksham in 2011, the first political manifesto to mainstream differently-abled individuals in India.
● Published Author and fluent in 8 languages