Smriti Irani is an Indian politician, who was a former model, television actress, and producer working in the Hindi film and television industry. She had come into the limelight while starring in Ekta Kapoor's soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi from 2000 to 2008. In 2003, she joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and she is currently serving in the Narendra Modi cabinet as Minister of Textiles, and as Minister of Women and Child Development.
During the first Modi government, Irani had served as Minister for Information and Broadcasting, and Minister of Human Resource Development. She is a member of the Lok Sabha representing Amethi and is the youngest Minister in the Council of Ministers.
EARLY CAREER:
Smriti Irani had contested in Miss India 1998 beauty pageant but she did not qualify, and in the same year, she appeared in the song Boliyan from the album Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag with Mika Singh. In 2000 she made her television debut in series Aatish, Hum Hain Kal Aaj Aur Kal, and Kavita, and then landed the lead role in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
She was next seen in television show Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat (2001–2003), as a host in television talk show series Kuch... Diiil Se (2001–2003), in mythological TV Series Ramayan (2001–2002), in television show Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan (2006–2007), in Virrudh (2007–2008), in Mere Apne (2007–2008), in Teen Bahuraaniyaan (2007–2008), in Yeh Hai Jalwa (2008-Host), in Maniben.com (2009–2010), and in Ek Thhi Naayka (2013). In 2008, she produced television crime series Waaris.
Where movies are concerned, Irani was part of the cast of 2010 movie Malik Ek which was about Sai Baba of Shirdi. She then starred in Telegu movie Jai Bolo Telangana in 2011, and the following year in Bengali movie Amrita.
Irani has also won a good number of awards for her performance in television shows Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Virrudh.
POLITICAL CAREER:
After joining the BJP in 2003, Smriti Irani became the vice-president of the Maharashtra Youth Wing in 2004, and in the same year she contested in the general elections against Kapil Sibal from the Chandni Chowk constituency in Delhi but was not successful. In December 2004, she blamed then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for BJP's electoral losses and threatened to fast unto death until he resigned. She later retracted her demand after BJP's central leadership threatened to take action against her.
In 2010, she was appointed National Secretary of the BJP on June 24, and then All India President of the BJP's women's wing, BJP Mahila Morcha. In August 2011, she was sworn in as a member of parliament from Gujarat to the Rajya Sabha, and in 2014 she contested in the general elections against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi but lost. She was, however, appointed as a minister in the first Modi government.
During the 2019 general election, she again contested against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi and emerged victorious.
PERSONAL LIFE:
Smriti Irani was born Smriti Malhotra on March 23, 1976 in New Delhi to Ajay Kumar Malhotra and Shibani Bagchi, and she is the eldest of three sisters. She has been a part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from childhood as her grandfather was an RSS swayamsevak and her mother was a member of Jana Sangh. She did her schooling from Holy Child Auxilium School in New Delhi, and then enrolled in Delhi University's School of Open Learning but did not complete the three-year degree course. She is married to Zubin Irani and together they have three children.
SOCIAL:
Smriti Irani updates her followers through Facebook - Smriti Zubin Irani/@Smriti.Irani.Official, Twitter - Smriti Z Irani/@smritiirani, and Instagram - Smriti Irani/@smritiiraniofficial.