Palaniappan Chidambaram on Monday took over as the Home Minister for the second time in North Block. Chidambaram (64) is one among the 19 cabinet ministers who were sworn-in on May 22, along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Chidambaram, a Harvard educated lawyer, was shifted to the Home Ministry from the Finance Ministry by the Prime Minister in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks last year which led to the resignation of Shivraj Patil from the post.