Who Is S. Keerthana? Meet The Youngest Minister In Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's Tamil Nadu Cabinet

Keerthana Emerges As Young Face In Vijay Cabinet: Among the ministers who took oath alongside Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on May 10, one of the names that drew attention was S. Keerthana, the youngest member of the new cabinet. At 29, Keerthana has entered the Tamil Nadu ministry after winning the Sivakasi Assembly constituency in the 2026 election as a candidate of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Keerthana's victory in Sivakasi was seen as notable because she became the first woman MLA elected from the constituency in several decades. She secured the seat in her debut Assembly election and later found a place in Vijay's first council of ministers.

Keerthana studied in a Tamil-medium government school before pursuing higher education in mathematics and statistics. She completed her undergraduate studies in mathematics from a college affiliated with Madurai University and later earned a postgraduate degree in statistics from Pondicherry Central University in 2019.

Keerthana Draws Attention With Public Remarks

In recent weeks, Keerthana had also attracted attention during the election campaign and post-result interactions for speaking in Hindi while addressing sections of the media and supporters. She reportedly stated that the intention was to help more people understand the message of her party leadership. The remarks became a talking point in Tamil Nadu's political discussions, especially amid the state's long-standing debates around Hindi usage in public life and politics.

Keerthana is also known among TVK supporters as a long-time admirer and supporter of Vijay. Before entering the Assembly, she had been associated with political and public activities involving several leaders across Tamil Nadu.

Following her swearing-in ceremony on May 10, Keerthana described becoming a minister as an unbelievable moment and said such an opportunity may not have been possible under another administration. She added that the new government intended to demonstrate a model centred on public service and inclusive representation.

Her appointment has now made her one of the youngest faces in the new Tamil Nadu government led by Vijay.