If Shaktikant Das becomes the country’s next finance minister, he would join the ranks of former prime minister and finance minister Manmohan Singh and former finance minister CDDeshmukh.
Published: August 18, 2026, 1:00 PM IST
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Modi Cabinet Reshuffle Update
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced the new team of national office-bearers on MondayThis comes seven months after appointing Nitin Nabin as the party’s 12th national presidentAmong them is former minister Smriti Irani, who has been appointed as one of the party’s eight national general secretariesSenior party leader Ram Madhav, a former national general secretary, has been appointed as party vice presidentFormer Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has been appointed as national general secretary.
Now the buzz regarding the reshuffle and expansion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet has started making roundsAccording to the reports, the announcement is likely to be made soonReports further added that major changes are expected in the exercise, with discussions suggesting that several ministers could be dropped while the portfolios of many others may be changed.
It is important to note that this is not the first time that buzz about a reshuffle has surfacedTo recall, in July, several media reports suggested that the Cabinet reshuffle would take place before the Monsoon Session of ParliamentHowever, it was later clarified that there was no window left for such an exercise, putting an end to the buzz surrounding the cabinet reshuffle.
Nirmala Sitharaman To Be Replaced?
The name of Shaktikanta Das is being discussed as a possible candidate for the post of finance minister, amid speculation over the cabinet reshuffleA major reason behind this speculation is his strong professional background and experienceHe is currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Prime MinisterShaktikanta Das is currently 69 years old.
Shaktikanta Das: Here are some of the key details
- Shaktikanta Das is currently serving as principal secretary to the prime ministerHe is currently 69 years old.
- If he becomes the country’s next finance minister, he would join the ranks of former prime minister and finance minister Manmohan Singh and former finance minister CDDeshmukh.
- Only two former governors of the Reserve Bank of India have gone on to serve as India’s finance minister so far.
- At present, Shaktikanta Das is not a member of either House of Parliament.
- If appointed finance minister, he can become a member of Parliament within six months.
- There is speculation that the BJP may consider sending him to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.
- In November 2026, ten Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are scheduled to fall vacant.
Shaktikanta Das: All You Need To Know
- Shaktikanta Das was born on February 26, 1957, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- He completed his early education at Demonstration Multipurpose School in Bhubaneswar.
- He later moved to Delhi for higher studies and earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in History from the prestigious StStephen’s College of the University of Delhi.
- Das also holds a postgraduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Birmingham.
- A member of the 1980 batch of the Tamil Nadu cadre of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Shaktikanta Das has had a highly successful career in public administration.
- Despite being a student of history, he spent most of his more than 37-year-long administrative career working in India’s economic and financial departments.
- He held several key positions, including Revenue Secretary and Secretary of Economic Affairs in the Government of India.
- Das served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from December 2018 to December 2024.
- Following his retirement from the RBI, he was appointed as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2025.
- During his tenure in Tamil Nadu, Shaktikanta Das also served as the District Collector of Dindigul and Kanchipuram districts.
