Ms Natarajan has had a less rapturous reception since her appointment in July, though she may be more popular in some quarters at home, where she has been a well-regarded spokeswoman for her Congress party.
Mr Ramesh's period as environment minister won the backing of many green activists because of his rigorous scrutiny of some industrial projects. But it also put him at the centre of controversy.
In a meeting of officials ahead of the Durban summit, Ms Natarajan was reported to have emphasised the importance of equality in the climate negotiations, demanding rich countries address their historical responsibilities before asking more of emerging economies such as India. Some interpreted this as a sign that Mr Ramesh's era of flexibility had ended.
Ms Natarajan has a reputation as a persuasive media performer and a strong defender of women's rights. She entered politics in the 1980s and represents the state of Tamil Nadu, where her grandfather was a prominent Congress politician. She is also a writer whose views have appeared in several national daily newspapers.
In a column for the Indian Express, written just before she was appointed to her new job, she took on senior bureaucrats appearing before parliamentary committees, declaring that “more often than not, the information provided is obfuscatory and dense in nature, mostly tending to be a defensive and supercilious presentation on the topic at hand". Read the full report here.
Source: by Pilita Clark, FT.com.
