Daijiworld Magazine, Vol.12, Issue 6, November 2020

DAIJIWORLD Magazine | November 2020 23
GLOBL POLITICS
First India-born minister in New Zealand
PM Jacinda Ardern’s cabinet
In New Zealand, Priyanca
Radhakrishnan, 41, was
sworn in as Minister for
Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic
Communities; Minister for the
Community and Voluntary
Sector; and Associate Minister
for Social Development and
Employment. She has been a
member of the Labour Party
since 2006.
On November 2, when India-born
Priyanca Radhakrishnan
was appointed as a Minister
in the New Zealand Cabinet led
by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern,
it was a “proud moment”
not just for India, but also of her
dear father R Radhakrishnan,
an IIT-Kanpur alumnus hailing
from North Paravur in Kerala’s
Ernakulam district. But it was
hardly a surprise for him.
For years now, Radhakrishnan
had been nudging his
daughter towards politics in New
Zealand where she had gone to
pursue her higher studies from
Singapore. In 2017, she went on
to become an MP in Arden’s Labour
Party.
“The post of Minister was not
totally unexpected. We believed
that she would get some greater
role in the government, and the
Prime Minister had indicated to
her about it,” said Radhakrishnan,
who is settled in Chennai.
“Today, I spoke to her after
hearing about her new role. She
is thrilled. She is the first Indian
to become a Minister in the New
Zealand Government. But I have
advised her to not forget the family
even while pursuing a career
in politics,” he said.
Priyanca, 41, has been a
member of the Labour Party
since 2006. “Her husband Richardson,
a New Zealand citizen
who works with an IT firm,
joined the party recently. They
met when she was working with
an NGO for women survivors of
domestic violence and migrant
workers. They have decided not
to have children for the sake of
Priyanca’s political career,’’ said
Radhakrishnan.
Priyanca had last visited Kerala
in July 2019 to take part in
rituals related to the death of her
mother Usha, who died in February
that year.
“When her mother was hospitalised
in Chennai, Priyanca
stayed for several days at her
bedside. But she had to return for
a meeting in London, and could
not be present when her mother
breathed her last,’’ said Radhakrishnan,
adding that his elder
daughter Manavi is settled in
Canada and married to a Canadian
management professional.
After post-graduation in civil
engineering from IIT-Kanpur,
Radakrishnan worked for three
years with Mumbai Port Trust
before moving to Singapore in
1972 where he worked as a port
engineer. He returned with wife
Usha to settle in Chennai in 1999.
Both their daughters were
born in India, but completed
school in Singapore before Pri-
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