Nirmala Sitharaman prefers soldiers calling her Raksha Mantri

Sitharaman has been variously greeted with Jai Hind, memsaab; Jai Hind, sir; and Jai Hind, madam salutations. “The minister has been addressed as sir, madam and memsaab on different occasions. During informal interactions, some jawans even asked how they should address the minister. The minister said, ‘You can just call me Raksha Mantri please’,”

The 58-year-old Sitharaman is only the second woman to hold the defence portfolio.As prime minister, Indira Gandhi twice doubled up as the defence minister, in 1975 and in 1980-82.