Photos: Here are the prominent faces of Narendra Modi's new Cabinet

[caption id=“attachment_85882” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] While Narendra Modi fulfills his role as India’s prime minister, he will depend on this team of Cabinet ministers to push through his agenda for governance. Let’s begin with Arun Jaitley. The leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha in the UPA government, Jaitley has been, like most members of the BJP, associated with the party since a student. Known for his oratorial skills and a prominent Supreme Court lawyer, the formidable law minister in the Vajpayee government, lost to Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress in the 2014 elections from Amritsar but that wasn’t going to stop his rise. Image: Reuters[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85883” align=“alignnone” width=“860”] Rajnath Singh: Rajnath Singh, presently president of the BJP, began his career in the portals of academics as a lecturer of physics in Uttar Pradesh. Singh has held various important political appointments in the party, in UP and in the NDA government-as education minister of UP, chief minister of UP, and Union Minister of Agriculture. Image: Reuters[/caption]

Image: Reuters

[caption id=“attachment_85884” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Sushma Swaraj: Has many firsts to her credit-from the youngest chief minister of Haryana at 25, to the youngest Cabinet minister among many others-Swaraj has served as minister for information and broadcasting and health during the previous NDA regime. Swaraj managed to rub Modi the wrong way during the election campaign but her influence in the party proved to be enough to get a ministerial post. Image: Reuters[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85883” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Smriti Irani: Articulate and quick on the repartee, Irani is known for making mincemeat of her opposition with her witty arguments. Originally a television star, this former model-turned-TV actress-turned- politician and Rajya Sabha MP has risen to the post of the party spokesperson. She also took on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi unsuccessfully, but is one of the few party leaders who enjoys the trust of Modi. Image: Reuters[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85886” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Dr Harsh Vardhan: A life-long RSS activist and a BJP member since the early 1990s, Harsh Vardhan has the distinction of never having lost an election from Delhi, either to the state assembly or the Lok Sabha. His long list of portfolios held includes education, law and health for the Delhi government, between 1993-1998. He has also served as Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi assembly. A trained ENT surgeon, he is well known for his role in initiating the pulse polio campaigns in India. Image: Reuters[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85887” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Nitin Gadkari: Gadkari has held various positions in the BJP-Sena government in Maharashtra and is known for his development of infrastructure in Mumbai during his tenure. Known for his strong administrative skills and business-like efficiency, Gadkari has also headed the BJP and faced some unwanted attention over his entrepreneurial ventures. Image: Reuters[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85888” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Ravi Shankar Prasad: A lawyer by training, Ravi Shankar Prasad represents Bihar in the Rajya Sabha and deputy leader of the Opposition. He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2000, and became Minister of State (Coals and Mines) in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2001. He was also given charge of the Minstry of Law and Justice in 2002. Prasad was appointed the BJP’s chief national spokesperson in 2007 and party general secretary in 2010. Image: ibnlive[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85889” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Ananth Kumar: Ananth Kumar was first elected to Parliament in 1996 from Bangalore South. His first Cabinet position came in 1998 as Civil Aviation Minister in the Vajpayee government. This was followed by stints in various ministries - tourism, sports & youth affairs, culture, urban development and poverty alleviation. Kumar was appointed national general secretary of the BJP in 2004, and in 2013 was re-appointed chairman of Standing Committee on External Affairs. He has held this post since 2010. Image: ibnlive[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85890” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Maneka Gandhi: While she may best be known for her activism for animals, Gandhi has served as Minister of State in a range of ministries like social justice and empowerment, culture, programme implementation and statistics and environment. From modeling to being known as Sanjay Gandhi’s wife, Maneka has over the decades carved out her own political identity and isn’t shy of taking controversial decisions if she believes in them. Image: AFP[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85891” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Ram Vilas Paswan: Ally Lok Janashakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan will represent the Dalit community in Modi’s Cabinet. He is an eight-time Lok Sabha member and former Rajya Sabha MP. As a minister under various governments, Paswan has held varied positions - from minister of mines to communications & IT to railways in the past. Image: ibnlive[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_85902” align=“alignleft” width=“860”] Uma Bharti: Bharti has had experience across various ministries in the previous NDA government. She briefly served as Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development and has also been Minister of State for Tourism. She was also minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and briefly even Coal and Mines minister before she was deputed to head the state government of Madhya Pradesh. Image: Reuters[/caption]