Who is Smriti Irani?
Smriti Zubin Irani mostly known as Smriti Irani is a Politician in India. She is the Information and Broadcasting Minister as well as new Textiles Minister under BJP Government.
She worked as Union Minister for HRD (Human Resource Development) before cabinet reshuffling which took place on 5th July 2017. She is a member of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party).
Smriti Irani is a former Model and a TV Actress who worked in a number of daily TV serials. She owns an entertainment company, Ugraya Entertainment and is also a producer.
Profile of Smriti Irani:
| Full Name | Smriti Zubin Irani |
| Nick Name | Smriti Irani |
| Profession | Information and broadcasting and Textiles Minister |
| Political Party | BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) |
| Member of | Rajya Sabha |
| Profession before joining Politics | Model and TV Actress |
| Personal life | |
| Date of Birth | 23rd March 1976 |
| Father | Shri Ajay Kumar Malhotra |
| Mother | Shri Shibani Bagchi |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse / Husband | Zubin Irani |
| Smriti Irani Age | 40 years |
| Birth Place | Delhi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Smriti Irani Family:
Image Source: mid-day.com
स्मृति ईरानी was born on 23rd March 1976 in a middle-class family to a Punjabi Father and a Bengali Mother in Delhi. Among three sisters, she was the eldest. Smriti Irani Education was done at Holy Child Auxillium, Delhi and School of Correspondence and Continuing Education, University of Delhi, Delhi.
She began working after her 10th class to help her family and earned Rs. 200 per day by beauty product promotion. Her destiny had something else and she was attracted by the glamour world and decided to stop and break the norms of a middle class. She participated in the 1998 Miss India Contest but did not get into the finals.
Image Source: movzio.com
She wanted to try her luck and decided to leave for Mumbai. She worked and served at Mc. Donald’s for her financial needs and at the same time, she started giving her auditions in the TV and entertainment industry. In 2001, she married Zubin Irani, a Parsi entrepreneur. The couple is blessed with two children. Smriti Irani kids, Zohr Irani, a son who was born in October 2001 and Zoish Irani was born two years later.
Smriti Irani’s Acting Career:
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Irani faced many hard times before her fortune decided to favor her. She was given a chance for hosting an episode of “Ooh La La La”. With her acting as show’s host, she replaced Neelam Kothari, a famous actress. Her fortune was good and she never looked back and she was caught by the eye of Ekta Kapoor, the famous Producer. She played the role of Tulsi Virani in a super hit TV serial, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi which was aired on famous TV Channel, Star Plus.
She won a number of awards for her serial character, Tulsi. Apart from that, she produced many shows under her Entertainment Company, Ugraya. She also hosted “Yeh Hai Jalwa”, a dance reality show in 2008 along with a famous TV Actress, Sakshi Tanwar. In Maniben.com, a telecast show (2009-2010) on SAB TV, she proved her skills as a comedian. She also acted in an underproduction Bengali film, “All is Well” which marked her debut in Bollywood.
Achievements:
- She participated in the 1998 Miss India Contest.
- She was the finalist of Femina Miss India beauty pageant 1998 contest.
- Smriti won consecutively five Indian TV Academy Awards for Popular Best Actress, four Indian Telly awards and eight Star Parivaar Awards.
Smriti Irani’s Political Career:
Image Source: india.com
Irani joined BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in the 2003 year. In the next year, she was elected and appointed as Maharashtra Youth Wing Vice President. In General Elections of 2004, she contested as a BJP Candidate from Chandini Chowk Constituency against Kapil Sibal. She lost the elections but her party appreciated her hard work and appointed her as the central committee executive member.
She continued to climb the success ladder. She became the Party National Secretary and the Party’s Women Wing President in the year 2010. Watching her dedication and leadership skills, the party gave her the ticket to contest in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections against Rahul Gandi from Amethi. She lost the elections with a narrow margin but in the Year 2019 she defeated Rahul Gandhi with the majority seats in Amethi.
Looking at her Leadership qualities and her determination, she was elected and appointed as Human Resource Development Minister in PM Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers. She was the youngest minister of the cabinet. Smriti was shifted to New Ministry of Textiles during the cabinet expansion and reshuffling which took place on 5th July 2017.
Positions Held by Smriti Irani in her Political Career:
- In 2011, she became the Rajya Sabha Member. In 2012, she was elected and appointed as the BJP’s Vice-President by the party members.
- She was a Committee member on Coal and Steel from September 2011 to May 2014.
- In August of 2012, she was appointed as Parliamentary Forum Member on Disaster Management and Consultative Committee member for the Ministry of Urban Development.
- On 26th May 2014, she became the Union Minister for HRD (Human Resource Development).
- On 5th July 2017, she was shifted to the Textiles Ministry in Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet expansion reshuffle.
Smriti Irani’s Controversy:
Image Source: thewire.in
During her appointment as HRD Minister, she faced a lot of Heat from the opposition and Social media. The opposition parties raised the issue about her qualification along with the media that she was not enough qualified to HRD Minister Position. The controversy came into life when it was stated that Smriti had made two declarations about her qualification in 2004 and at the time of 2014 Elections.
In 2004, she stated that she had Bachelors of Arts Degree which she had attained in 1996 from School of Correspondence, University of Delhi. But during the time of 2014 General Elections, she declared that Irani had Bachelor’s of Commerce Part-I degree in 1994, Delhi University when she had contested against Rahul Gandhi.
She also announced that those who have any doubts regarding her leadership qualities and capabilities and educational portfolio and qualifications, can file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and find out the truth. This added a new chapter to the controversy.
Awards Won by Smriti Irani:
- She won four Indian Television Academy awards in consecutive years 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 for her Tulsi Virani role in “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” TV serial. She also received it in 2010.
- She was awarded Indian Telly awards in 2002, 2003 and 2006.
- In 2005, she was honored with Great Women Achiever’s Award.
- In 2014, she was honored with the Best Television Personality of the Decade Award by Garv Indian TV Awards.