Narendra Modi takes oath as Prime Minister of India for second term with 57 Ministers

NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi was on Thursday sworn in as country’s Prime Minister of India for a second term, heading the National Democratic Alliance government in the presence of a large gathering of national and international dignitaries.nnModi, 68, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering ceremony at the forecourt of majestic Rashtraparti Bhavan.nnTop opposition leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, corporate honchos, film stars, chief ministers and a galaxy of leaders from BIMSTEC countries were part of the nearly 8,000 guests at the ceremony.nnThis is the second time Modi took the oath at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Modi was sworn in by the then President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014 in the presence of over 3,500 guests including the heads of SAARC countries.nnEarlier, Chandra Shekhar in 1990 and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999 were sworn in at the sprawling forecourt.nnLeaders of BIMSTEC countries including President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering also attended the gala event.nnFrom Thailand, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach represented the country. Besides India, BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan as members.nnKyrgyz President and current chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth also attended the event.nnFurther, as advised by the Prime Minister, The President has appointed the following as Members of the Union Council of Ministers:-nnCabinet Ministersnn1.       Shri Raj Nath Singhnn2.       Shri Amit Shahnn3.       Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkarinn4.       Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowdann5.       Smt. Nirmala Sitharamannn6.       Shri Ramvilas Paswannn7.       Shri Narendra Singh Tomarnn8.       Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadnn9.       Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badalnn10.    Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlotnn11.    Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankarnn12.    Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ?Nishank?nn13.    Shri Arjun Mundann14.    Smt. Smriti Zubin Iraninn15.    Dr. Harsh Vardhannn16.    Shri Prakash Javadekarnn17.    Shri Piyush Goyalnn18.    Shri Dharmendra Pradhannn19.    Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvinn20.    Shri Pralhad Joshinn21.    Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandeynn22.    Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawantnn23.    Shri Giriraj Singhnn24.    Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawatnn nnMinisters of State (Independent Charge)nn1.       Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwarnn2.       Rao Inderjit Singhnn3.       Shri Shripad Yesso Naiknn4.       Dr. Jitendra Singhnn5.       Shri Kiren Rijijunn6.       Shri Prahalad Singh Patelnn7.       Shri Raj Kumar Singhnn8.       Shri Hardeep Singh Purinn9.       Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviyann nnMinisters of Statenn1.        Shri Faggansingh Kulastenn2.       Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubeynn3.       Shri Arjun Ram Meghwalnn4.       General (Retd.) V. K. Singhnn5.       Shri Krishan Palnn6.       Shri Danve Raosaheb Dadaraonn7.       Shri G. Kishan Reddynn8.       Shri Parshottam Rupalann9.       Shri Ramdas Athawalenn10.    Sadhvi Niranjan Jyotinn11.    Shri Babul Supriyonn12.    Shri Sanjeev Kumar Balyannn13.    Shri Dhotre Sanjay Shamraonn14.    Shri Anurag Singh Thakurnn15.    Shri Angadi Suresh Channabasappann16.    Shri Nityanand Rainn17.    Shri Rattan Lal Katariann18.    Shri V. Muraleedharannn19.    Smt. Renuka Singh Sarutann20.    Shri Som Parkashnn21.    Shri Rameswar Telinn22.    Shri Pratap Chandra Saranginn23.    Shri Kailash Choudharynn24.    Smt. Debasree Chaudhuri