Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi was born on 30 April 1967 in New Delhi to Shri Bhagwan Khanna and Smt. Amarlata Khanna. She assumed charge as Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Culture on 8 July 2021.
After graduating in B.Sc. (Hons) from Hindu College and LL.B. from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, she enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1990. She practised in various courts, including several tribunals, Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, with particular focus on Indirect taxes and Criminal Law. She also practised in a range of forums across India and handled numerous issues pertaining to women in the courts, such as domestic violence, family law disputes and most importantly, the issue of permanent commission of the lady officers in the armed forces.