Who is Anita Anand, Canada's first Hindu foreign minister?

Anita Anand led Canada’s Public Services and Procurement Ministry during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Updated on: May 14, 2025, 12:10:44 IST

By HT News Desk

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In a major cabinet shakeup, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney named Anita Anand the foreign minister of Canada. She will replace Mélanie Joly, who will now serve as the Minister of Industry.

Anita Anand is a Canadian lawyer, academic, and politician. (AFP)

After being sworn in to her new role, Anand took to X and wrote, “I am honoured to be named Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, fairer world and deliver for Canadians.”

Carney unveiled a 38-member cabinet, comprising 28 ministers and 10 Secretaries of State, on Tuesday. Following the unveiling of the new Cabinet, Carney outlined the government's top priorities -- creating new economic and security relationships with the United States, tackling the cost of living, and strengthening Canada's economy.

Who is Anita Anand?

Anita Indira Anand is a Canadian lawyer, academic, and politician. She had served as Canada's defence minister, transport minister and minister of innovation, science and industry so far. She is also the first Hindu woman to be appointed as Canada’s Foreign Minister.

Anand was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, to Indian immigrant doctor parents who moved to Canada from India in the early 1960s. Her mother is from Punjab, and her father is from Tamil Nadu. She has two sisters, Gita and Sonia.

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Anita Anand is a scholar, lawyer, researcher, and mother of four children, according to her profile on the Liberal Party website. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto.

Anita Anand's political journey

Anand led Canada’s Public Services and Procurement Ministry during the Covid-19 pandemic, managing the country’s acquisition of vaccines and personal protective equipment.

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Later, as Minister of National Defence, she spearheaded initiatives to tackle sexual misconduct and bring about cultural change in the Canadian Armed Forces.

She also led Canada’s efforts to provide military aid and personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

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