46 Facts About Smriti Irani

Smriti Irani was Minister of Women and Child Development from 2019 to 2024, and Minister of Minority Affairs from 2022 to 2024.

Smriti Irani previously served as Minister of Human Resource Development, Minister of Textiles, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

Smriti Irani was the youngest minister in prime minister Narendra Modi's second ministry in 2019.

Smriti Irani was the National President of the BJP Mahila Morcha from 2010 to 2013.

Smriti Irani subsequently lost the constituency to long time Indian National Congress worker Kishori Lal Sharma in the 2024 elections.

Previously in the 2000s, Irani was the most popular actress on TV playing the lead role of Tulsi Virani in Ekta Kapoor's blockbuster Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus for which she won five consecutive ITA Best Actress awards and 2 Indian Telly Awards.

Smriti Irani comes from a multi-cultural family, with her paternal family having Punjabi and Maharashtrian background, while her maternal family is Bengali.

Smriti Irani is a multi-linguist and speaks several Indian languages including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, and Punjabi.

Smriti Irani's mother was a member of Jana Sangh and her grandfather was associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Smriti Irani was educated at the Holy Child Auxilium School, New Delhi, which is run by Catholic nuns.

Smriti Irani was one of the participants of the beauty pageant Miss India 1998 but couldn't reach the top 9, along with Gauri Pradhan Tejwani.

In 1998, Smriti Irani appeared in a song "Boliyan" of the album "Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag" with Mika Singh.

In 2000, Smriti Irani bagged the lead role of Tulsi Virani in Ekta Kapoor's production Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus for which she holds the record of winning five consecutive ITA Award for Best Actress Popular and four Indian Telly Awards.

Smriti Irani had a fallout with the producer Ekta Kapoor and she left the show in June 2007 and was replaced by Gautami Kapoor.

Smriti Irani made her comeback in May 2008 in a special episode, reconciling with Kapoor.

In 2002, she played the epic character Sita in Zee TV's Ramayan along with Nitish Bharadwaj In 2006, Smriti Irani co-produced the show Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan under her banner Ugraya Entertainment and co-produced by Balaji Telefilms.

Smriti Irani produced Mere Apne for 9X and portrayed the protagonist alongside Vinod Khanna.

Smriti Irani acted in a supporting role in Zee TV's Teen Bahuraaniyaan.

Smriti Irani co-produced the show in collaboration with Contiloe Entertainment.

In December 2004, Smriti Irani, blaming then Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi for BJP's electoral losses, threatened to fast unto death until he resigned.

Smriti Irani retracted this demand after the BJP's central leadership threatened to take action against her.

Smriti Irani was nominated as executive member of the central committee of the BJP.

In early 2010, Smriti Irani was appointed National Secretary of BJP and on 24 June, she was appointed All India President of the BJP's women's wing, BJP Mahila Morcha.

Smriti Irani was sworn in as a member of parliament from Gujarat to the Rajya Sabha.

Smriti Irani contested the 2014 general elections against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

Smriti Irani's appointment was criticised by many people owing to her lack of formal higher education.

In June 2015, a lower court held that the allegations against Smriti Irani were maintainable and a delay in prosecution was not a valid reason for dismissal.

Smriti Irani asked people to file a PIL about her educational qualification to know about the truth behind the affidavit controversy.

Smriti Irani implemented various reforms in universities during her term as HRD minister.

Smriti Irani made a speech in Parliament in which she discussed the 2016 JNU sedition controversy and the Suicide of Rohith Vemula.

University of Hyderabad doctor Rajashree M contradicted some claims made by Smriti Irani regarding the circumstances of Rohith's death.

Smriti Irani announced to start new yoga departments in six new universities in June 2016.

In July 2016, in a cabinet reshuffle Smriti Irani was shuffled to the Ministry of Textiles from MHRD.

In 2019, Smriti Irani became a member of parliament for Amethi constituency after winning the Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general elections from Rahul Gandhi.

Smriti Irani was the youngest minister in the cabinet of Narendra Modi.

Smriti Irani was the first woman to hold office as the Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Union Minister of Textiles.

Smriti Irani was the youngest woman to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

In July 2016, Smriti Irani was given charge of the Textiles Ministry, taking over from Santosh Kumar Gangwar.

Smriti Irani held that portfolio for a full five years, until July 2021, having been re-appointed to the position after the parliamentary elections of 2019.

Subsequently, in the cabinet re-shuffle of July 2021, Smriti Irani was again given the charge of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Smriti Irani undertook the initiative to define "child pornography" and reiterated a "zero tolerance" stance against the crime.

In January 2024, Smriti Irani became the only non-muslim on her historical visit to the holy site of Medina led by the Saudi-Arabian delegates, where she signed the Hajj agreement 2024, and brought home increased quota for Hajj trip for Muslims in India.

Smriti Irani made multiple visits to Amethi after her loss to launch central development schemes in the constituency, to underscore her message that she would provide better representation than the incumbent member.

Smriti Irani was accused of providing contradictory affidavits about her educational qualifications during different elections.

Smriti Irani regarding her educational qualification while filing nominations were not traceable.

On 18 October 2016, a Delhi court said that Smriti Irani will not be summoned for the fake degree case because the petition filed against Irani questioning her college degrees was an attempt to harass her.