Former Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took the charge as Finance Minister in New Delhi today. She was accompanied by Anurag Thakur, who took charge as Minister of State, Finance. Nirmala Sitharaman's move to the Finance portfolio is seen to be a huge promotion and the big surprise of the portfolio announcements.Before Nirmala Sitharaman, only Indira Gandhi held the finance portfolio for a brief stint when she was the prime minister in 1970-71.