Chennai: At just 29, S Keerthana is set to script history as one of the youngest ministers in Tamil Nadu, emerging as a prominent new face in the first cabinet of Chief Minister-designate C Joseph Vijay.

Keerthana, who won the Sivakasi Assembly constituency in Virudhunagar district on the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ticket, represents the new generation of leaders being brought to the forefront by Vijay as he prepares to take charge of Tamil Nadu’s first non-DMK or AIADMK government in nearly six decades.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday ahead of the oath ceremony, Keerthana said, "Today is a big day for Tamil Nadu and the public of the state... This is the moment everybody has been waiting for."

After her election victory, S Keerthana has attracted attention for speaking in Hindi during public interactions, explaining that she chose the language to help a wider audience understand and connect with her leader’s message. Her remarks have sparked discussion in Tamil Nadu, where Hindi has long remained a politically sensitive issue and has faced strong resistance from Dravidian parties over the years.

Before entering active politics, Keerthana worked as a political consultant and was associated with campaign strategy and grassroots political outreach. Those familiar with her political journey say she played a behind-the-scenes role during the formative stages of TVK, particularly in youth mobilisation, constituency-level planning and social media communication.

Keerthana hails from Virudhunagar district and is the daughter of Sampath. She completed her B.Sc in Mathematics from a college affiliated with Madurai Kamaraj University before pursuing an M.Sc in Statistics from Pondicherry University in 2019.

Keerthana first came into the public spotlight during the Assembly election campaign, where she was projected as one of TVK’s young and educated candidates. 

Political observers note that her elevation to the cabinet is symbolically significant for multiple reasons. She is not only the youngest minister in the Vijay cabinet but also the only woman among the nine ministers being sworn in during the first phase of government formation.

Her inclusion is being viewed as Vijay’s attempt to signal generational change and strengthen women’s representation in governance. Analysts believe TVK is trying to position itself differently from traditional Dravidian parties by giving leadership roles to younger professionals and first-time politicians.

The cabinet announced so far is a blend of experienced politicians and emerging leaders. Alongside Keerthana, the list includes names such as KA Sengottaiyan, N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KG Anuraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan and TK Prabhu.

TVK secured 118 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, crossing the majority mark with support from Congress and other alliance partners, including CPI, CPM, VCK and IUML. Following the alliance backing, Governor Rajendra Arlekar invited Vijay to form the government and asked him to prove his majority on the Assembly floor before May 13.

The oath-taking ceremony is being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai in the presence of political leaders, film personalities and party workers. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also attending the event.