In their promotional song, the BJP largely focused on the tag line, Ache Din Aane Wale He… Well, now that the government is a week old and all the ministers sworn in into their respective cabinets, it is time we ask again. Ache Din Aagaye? Well, the answer is a Biggg Yess, especially for Women. With 7 women in the government, it surely seems that this new government is looking ahead to changing the lives, thoughts and outlook of women in the society.

Until this date, we have seen women playing the role of a daughter, a sister, wife, mother and also an entrepreneur. But now we will see women carving the future of the country. Will these 7 strong minded, hardworking and courageous women politicians change the country for good? Well, we will see the answer as the time passes by. But till then, let’s know these courageous women politicians who have taken the oath to help the country and bring a change in the society.

1. Smt. Sushma Swaraj – Cabinet Minister for External Affairs Overseas Indian Affairs

Age : 62 years

Qualification : B.A Sanskrit and Political Science, LLB. Practicing Supreme Court Advocate since 1973

Political career : Known famously for polling against Sonia Gandhi in 1999; Also First Chief Minister of Delhi 1998

• Sushma Swaraj is one of the most renowned faces in BJP. She is known for her speech, good conduct and firmness. Sushma Swaraj has been the youngest Cabinet minister of the Country in 1977, then aged 25. She was then appointed as the State President of Janata Party, Haryana State. She has also been the first Female Spokesperson of a national political party. Sushma Swaraj in her several years of politics has also been the First Chief Minister of Delhi, the First Union Cabinet Minister, first General Secretary and Spokesperson of opposition.

• Till date, she has contested 10 direct elections from 4 states and has been elected 7 times as a Member of Parliament. She has been elected 3 times as Member of the Legislative Assembly.

• This year, during the 2014 elections, she won the seat from Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency with a huge margin of almost 400,000 votes.

2. Smt. Smriti Irani – Cabinet Minister for Human Resource Development

Age : 38 years

Qualification : Higher Secondary

Political Career : Joined BJP in 2003 and contested from Chandni Chowk during the 2004 elections. Previously was the vice president of Maharashtra youth Wing and appointed as National Secretary of BJP, also appointed as All India President of BJP women’s Wing.

• We know her better as Tulsi of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Smriti Irani is a model turned actress turned politician who was the favorite Bahu of all regular households. Her success in the small screen television gave her the strength to take on politics and achieve hug goals ahead.

• Prior to getting the role of Tulsi, she also worked as a waitress in McDonalds and was also the finalist in the Miss India Contest 1998.

• She joined BJP in 2003 and lost her first election against Congress leader Kapil Sibal from Chandni Chowk. She was then appointed as the Vice President of Maharashtra youth Wing.

• Smriti was nominated 5 times as the executive member of Central committee. She has been appointed as the BJP’s National Secretary and also the All India President of BJP women’s wing or the Mahila Morcha.

• In 2011, she was sworn in as Member of Parliament from Gujarat.

• This year in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Smriti Irani stood against Congress PM candidate Rahul Gandhi from Amethi (known as a Congress home ground) and gave him a tough fight, making him win with just 1 lakh votes.

3. Dr. Najma Heptulla – Cabinet Minister for minority Affairs

Age : 74 years

Qualification : MSc. Zoology, Ph.D in Cardiac Anatomy

Political Career : 5 time Rajya Sabha member, Deputy Chairperson Rajya Sabha for a huge 16 years

• One of the most educated women politicians, Dr. Najma Heptulla holds a Masters degree in Zoology and a PhD. Degree in Cardiac Anatomy from Denver University.

• She is also a renowned face in the International level for her nomination as the Human Development ambassador by the United Nations Development Programme.

• Dr. Heptulla also led a delegation to the UN Commission on Status of Women in the year 1997.

• She is also the author of the book, ‘AIDS: Approaches to Prevention’.

• Dr. Heptulla started her political career as a leader of the All India Congress committee and also the NSUI. She left the Indian National Congress due to the leadership issues under Sonia Gandhi and joined BJP where she stood as a candidate for the Vice-President of India. However, Hamid Ansari won the elections then.

• She is the grand-niece of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and also second cousin to Bollywood Actor Aamir Khan.

4. Smt. Maneka Gandhi – Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development

Age : 57 years

Qualification : Studied German at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi

Political Career : Former model, Widow of Sanjay Gandhi, Animal Rights activist and environmentalist.

• Born to a Sikh family, Maneka Gandhi married Sanjay Gandhi, the younger son of Indira Gandhi at the tender age of 18. After Sanjay’s death in an aircraft accident, she formed her own party, the Rashtriya Sanjay Manch and focused largely on topics like youth employment and empowerment.

• In 1984, she fought against Rajiv Gandhi from Amethi, but lost the elections due to the sympathy vote that Rajiv received after the killing of his mother, Indira Gandhi.

• She then merged her party with Janata Dal and became growing India’s youngest minister at the age of 33. She became, Minister of Environment and Forests.

• During Vajpayee’s government, she became the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment.

5. Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal – Cabinet Minister for Food Processing Industries

Age : 47 years

Qualification : Matriculate, Diploma degree in Textile Design

Political Career : Married to Sukhbir Singh Badal, the deputy Chief Ministero f Punjab, Harsimrat kaur belongs to one of the major political parties in Punjab.

• Harsimrat Belongs to the Shiromani Akali Dal entered politics in the year 2009.

• This year, she won the seat from Bathinda by more than 19,000 votes.

6. Sushri. Uma Bharti – Cabinet Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

Age : 55 years

Qualification : 6 Grade (describes herself as a religious missionary)

Political Career : Entered politics at the age of 25 in the year 1984, but lost due to the sympathy wave in the country after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

• She gave up education at an early age due to her interest in religious books and culture. Uma Bharti gave religious discourses to masses at a very young age and this brought her in contact to Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, who later became her political mentor.

• Became Member of Parliament in 1989 from Khajuraho.

• Uma Bharti was also a Cabinet minister during the Vajpayee government and has worked for several fields such as Human Resource Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, Coal & Mines and also Tourism.

7. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman – Minister of state for Commerce and Industry and finance corporate Affairs

Age : 54 years

Qualification : M.Phil International studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Senior Manager at PRicewaterhouse Coopers and BBC World Service

Political Career : Joined Politics after coming in touch with Sushma Swaraj. She also has family links with the Congress, but decided to go with BJP due to its beliefs.

• Nirmala Sitharaman has been the BJP spokesperson since 2010 and is known prominently for her soft and composed personality.

• She was nominated to the National Commission for Women, Delhi.