As part of the new cabinet of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, who has origins in the Indian state of Kerala, was the first in the country to be sworn in as a minister in New Zealand.
The Minister for Diversity , Inclusion and Ethnic Groups, the Minister for the Environment and the Voluntary Sector, and the Associate Minister for Social Development and Jobs were appointed by Priyanca Radhakrishnan.
She was first elected in September 2017 as a Labour Party MP. In 2019, the Minister for Ethnic Minorities named Priyanca Radhakrishnan as the parliamentary private secretary.
Born in Chennai, Priyanca was educated in Singapore. Her roots are in Paravur, Kochi. On behalf of people whose voices are frequently unheard, women survivors of domestic violence, and migrant workers who have been abused, she has spent her work life advocating.
A two-time Auckland Member of Parliament (MP), Priyanca went to New Zealand to pursue her higher education. Since 2004, she has been involved with the Labour Party in politics. Priyanca, hailing from Christchurch, became a Kiwi national.