Priyanca Radhakrishnan – All You Need To Know

Priyanca Radhakrishnan became the first person of Indian origin to become a Minister in the New Zealand cabinet.

As Jacinda Ardern inducted five new Ministers of Parliament, the sweet tinge of happiness was not just for the citizens of New Zealand but also for us Keralites. Our honourable CM Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, Parliament MP. Shashi Tharoor and several other dignitaries expressed their appreciation and congratulated Priyanca Radhakrishnan on this achievement.

Here are a few facts about Priyanca Radhakrishnan.

1. Priyanca Radhakrishnan has her roots in Paravoor, Ernakulam. She was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu as her parents R. Radhakrishnan and Usha were settled in Chennai. However, she was brought up in Singapore and later on, shifted to New Zealand.

2. She has been inducted as the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities as well as the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment. However, she isn’t the only woman of diverse origin to be included in the cabinet. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta, who became the first indigenous Maori woman to become a Minister in NZ, and Grant Robertson, the first openly gay Deputy Prime Minister are the other two members to have come from a diverse origin.

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3. After attending Victoria University of Wellington and graduating with a Master’s degree in Development Studies, she went on to work for many NGOs and advocated for the rights of women survivors of domestic abuse, migrant workers who have been abused, etc. Her activities as a social worker amongst the Indian community in Auckland has received constant appreciation from the community.

4. Politics was her cup of tea from a young age. She proved her capabilities when she got elected as the International Students’ Officer of the Massey University Students Association. Later on, she joined the Labour party. It was her seniors’ support and advice that kept her engaged with the workings of the Labour party. She is also active in both local and regional party organisations.

5. She is the granddaughter of DR. C.R. Krishna Pillai, an eminent Communist leader who played a prominent role in the formation of Kerala politics.

6. She entered the electorate through the party-list instead of winning the election.

7. She was ranked number 12 in the Labour’s list, making her the highest-ranked Labour member who is not already an MP.