paragraph_text: The first defence minister of independent India was Baldev Singh, who served in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet during 1947 -- 52. Nirmala Sitharaman, the current defence minister of India is the second woman since Indira Gandhi to hold this major post.

paragraph_text: Senior officials in the Ministry of Defence hide Name Designation Sanjay Mitra, IAS Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeevanee Kutty, IAS Secretary (Ex-servicemen Welfare) Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy Secretary (Defence Research and Development) and chairman, DRDO Madhulika P. Sukul, IDAS Financial Adviser (Defence Services) Apurva Chandra, IAS Director General (Acquisition) and Additional Secretary Subhash Chandra, IAS Additional Secretary Jiwesh Nandan, IAS Additional Secretary (JN) Barun Mitra, IAS Additional Secretary (Defence Production) Mala Dutt, IES Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser (Acquisition) Major General V.D. Vogra Director General (Resettlement) Major General Ashok Kumar Managing Director, Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme Major General H.S. Shanbhag Technical Manager (Land Systems) Rear Admiral R. Sreenivas Technical Manager (Maritime and Systems) Air Vice Marshal Vishwas Gaur, VM Technical Manager (Air) Vacant Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister

paragraph_text: Winston Churchill, on forming his government in 1940, created the office of Minister of Defence to exercise ministerial control over the Chiefs of Staff Committee and to co-ordinate defence matters. The post was held by the Prime Minister of the day until Clement Attlee's government introduced the Ministry of Defence Act of 1946. The new ministry was headed by a Minister of Defence who possessed a seat in the Cabinet. The three existing service Ministers—the Secretary of State for War, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Secretary of State for Air—remained in direct operational control of their respective services, but ceased to attend Cabinet.

paragraph_text: Nirmala Sitharaman (born 18 August 1959) is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party, currently serving as the Minister of Defence in the Narendra Modi government. She is also a member of the Rajya Sabha for Karnataka.

paragraph_text: Bangaru Laxman (17 March 1939 – 1 March 2014) was an Indian politician. He was a member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He was President of party from 2000 to 2001 and served as a minister of state for railways in Government of India from 1999 to 2000. He was sentenced to four years in jail for defence deal corruption case.

paragraph_text: Keladi Chennamma was the queen of Keladi Kingdom in Karnataka. She was the daughter of Siddappa Shettar, a native merchant of Sagara, Karnataka. Keladi Kingdom (also known as Bednur and Ikkeri), was formed after the fall of Vijayanagara Empire. Chennamma married King Somashekara Nayaka in 1667 CE. After Somashekhara Nayaka's death in 1677, Chennamma efficiently handled the administration of the Keladi Nayaka dynasty. During her reign of 25 years, she repelled the advance of the Mughal Army led by Aurangzeb from her military base in the kingdom of Keladi located in Sagara, Karnataka, India. She adopted Basavappa Nayaka, one of her close relatives who succeeded as Hiriya Basappa Nayaka. She also rendered a trade agreement with the Portuguese involving commodities like pepper and rice.

paragraph_text: The ministry is headed by a cabinet minister. The current Minister of Defence, since 6 June 2016, is Adolf Mwesige. He is deputised by the Minister of State, currently Colonel Charles Engola Okello.

paragraph_text: Cabinet of Malawi: June 2014 -- Present Portrait Portfolio Incumbent Term began President Minister of Defence Commander - in - chief of the Armed and Police forces H.E. Peter Mutharika 31 May 2014 -- Vice President Minister for Civil Service Rt. Hon. Saulos Chilima 31 May 2014 -- Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Hon. Allan Chiyembekeza MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Education, Science and Technology Hon. Emmanuel Fabiano MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Hon. Goodall Gondwe 06 June 2014 -- Minister of Foreign Affairs and International cooperation Hon. George Chaponda MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Hon. Patricia Kaliati MP 23 June 2014 -- Minister of Health Hon. Peter Kumpalume MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Home Affairs Hon. Paul Chibingu MP 23 June 2014 -- Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education Hon. Kondwani Nankhumwa MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Hon. Samuel Tembenu 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Labour Hon. Henry Mussa MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Hon. Bright Msaka 23 June 2014 -- Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon. Trasizio Gowelo MP 23 June 2014 -- Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Hon. Atupele Muluzi MP 23 June 2014 -- Minister of Trade and Industry Hon. Joseph Mwanamveka MP 23 June 2014 -- Minister of Transport and Public works Hon. Francis Kasaila MP 19 June 2014 -- Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Hon. Grace Chiumia MP 19 June 2014 -- Deputy Ministers Deputy Minister of Defence Hon. Jappie Mhango MP 23 June 2014 -- Deputy Minister of Education Science and Technology Hon. Vincent Ghambi MP 23 June 2014 --

paragraph_text: Peter John Lindsay (born 4 May 1944), Australian politician, was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 to July 2010, representing the Division of Herbert, Queensland. In January 2007 he was appointed to the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence in the Howard Government. He was born in Brisbane, Queensland, and was a television station production manager and General Manager of Townsville Television from 1972 to 1996 before entering politics. He was a member of the City of Townsville City Council from 1985 to 1996.

paragraph_text: Colonel General Nguyễn Huy Hiệu (born 1947) is an officer of the Vietnam People's Army and current Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam. Enlisted in 1965, Nguyễn Huy Hiệu fought in various battlefields during Vietnam War, especially the Battle of Quảng Trị where he was appointed commander of battalion at the age of 23. Nguyễn Huy Hiệu began to hold the position of Deputy Minister of Defence in 1994.

paragraph_text: Keladi is a temple town in Sagara Taluk of the state of Karnataka in India. Keladi is located about 8 km from the town of Sagara.

paragraph_text: On 2 March 2011, Merkel announced that Maizière was to take over from Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the federal defence minister who had resigned from office the previous day. On 3 March, he was formally appointed to this post. He held the defence ministry portfolio until 17 December 2013.

paragraph_text: Vilmos Rőder (11 January 1881 – 13 December 1969) was a Hungarian military officer and politician, who served as Minister of Defence between 1936 and 1938. He fought in the First World War as Chief of Army Staff of Army Corps. He was the triggering of the army development between 1930 and 1934, but he had a conflict with Prime Minister Gyula Gömbös in connection with these plans, that's why he retired. Later the new Prime Minister Kálmán Darányi appointed him as Minister of Defence. He participated in the planning of the Program of Győr. Rőder resigned along with the other members of the cabinet in 1938. Following this he joined to the group of István Bethlen, which opposed entering World War II.

paragraph_text: Cabinet of Zambia: September 2016 -- Present Portrait Portfolio Incumbent President Commander - in - chief of the Armed Forces H.E. Edgar Lungu Vice President of Zambia H.E. Inonge Wina Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Lawrence Sichalwe Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe Minister of Development planning Lucky Mulusa Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health TBA Minister of Defence Davies Chama Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Dennis Wachinga Minister of Higher Education Nkandu Luo Minister of Finance Felix Mutati Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba Minister of Gender Victoria Kalima Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya Minister of Home Affairs Steven Kampyongo Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili Minister of Justice Given Lubinda Minister of Labour and Social Security Joyce Nonde - Simukoko Minister of Land, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Jean Kapata Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Micheal Zondani Katambo Minister of Local Government and Housing Vincent Mwale Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development Christopher Yaluma Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili Minister of Tourism and Arts TBA Minister of Transport and Communications Brian Mushimba Minister of Works and Supply Ronald Kaoma Chitotela Minister of Youth and Sports Moses Mawere Ex officio member Attorney General

paragraph_text: The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans (formerly the Minister of Defence) is a Minister in the Government of South Africa, who is responsible for overseeing the Department of Defence, the Department of Military Veterans and the South African National Defence Force.

paragraph_text: Laurent Murawiec (Paris 1951 – Washington, 7 October 2009) was a French neoconservative figure, member of the Hudson Institute and of the Committee on the Present Danger, and formerly defence analyst at the RAND corporation. Murawiec was an associate of Lyndon LaRouche from 1973–1986, and wrote for Larouche's "Executive Intelligence Review" in the 1980s.

paragraph_text: The Ministers and Chiefs of the Defence Staff are supported by a number of civilian, scientific and professional military advisors. The Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence (generally known as the Permanent Secretary) is the senior civil servant at the MoD. His or her role is to ensure the MoD operates effectively as a department of the government.

paragraph_text: Lieutenant General Trần Hanh (born November 29, 1932) is a pilot of the Vietnam People's Air Force and later Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, Trần Hanh was a MIG-17 pilot and officer of the 921st Regiment, he shot down a F-105D in April 1965. After the war he became the Deputy Chief of the General Staff and later Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam before retired in 2000.

paragraph_text: Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka Incumbent Maithripala Sirisena since 12th January 2015 Ministry of Defence Inaugural holder Don Stephen Senanayake Formation 24 September 1947 Deputy Ruwan Wijewardene Website www.defence.lk

paragraph_text: Thein Htaik () is the Union Auditor General of Myanmar, appointed to the post on 7 September 2012. He has served as the Minister for Mines, the Deputy Minister for Transport and was a Colonel in the Myanmar Air Force. He has served as an Inspector General in the Ministry of Defence and is a retired Major General in the Myanmar Army.

Question: Who is the present Defence Minister of the state Keladi Chennamma is from?
Answer: Nirmala Sitharaman