Smriti Irani (born 23 March 1976) is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a former television actress. She became a household name as Tulsi Virani in the serial Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She entered politics in 2003, held several Union ministries between 2014 and 2024, and won national attention by defeating Rahul Gandhi in the Gandhi family stronghold of Amethi in 2019.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Smriti Malhotra |
| Born | 23 March 1976, New Delhi, India |
| Age | 50 |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Offices | Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Textiles, Information and Broadcasting, Women and Child Development, Minority Affairs (2014–2024) |
| Constituency | Amethi (Lok Sabha, 2019–2024) |
| Spouse | Zubin Irani (m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 (Zohr and Zoish); stepdaughter Shanelle |
Early Life
Smriti was the eldest of three daughters of a Punjabi father and a Bengali mother who ran a small courier business in Delhi. She studied at Holy Child Auxilium School and began working after school, including a spell cleaning tables at a McDonald’s outlet in Mumbai while she looked for acting work. She was a finalist in the Miss India contest of 1998.
Television Career
After small roles she was cast by Ekta Kapoor in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which began in July 2000 and ran for eight years as India’s most-watched serial. Her portrayal of the ideal daughter-in-law won her five consecutive Indian Television Academy awards for best actress. She also produced serials and acted on stage.
Political Career
She joined the BJP in 2003 and lost the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk to Kapil Sibal. She became president of the party’s women’s wing in 2010 and entered the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 2011.
In 2014 she contested Amethi against Rahul Gandhi and lost by about a lakh votes, but she kept visiting the constituency. In 2019 she won it by more than 55,000 votes, a result that stunned the Congress. She lost the seat in 2024 to Kishori Lal Sharma of the Congress.
At 38 she became the youngest member of the 2014 cabinet as Minister for Human Resource Development, a tenure marked by disputes over her educational qualifications and unrest on university campuses. She later held Textiles, Information and Broadcasting, and Women and Child Development.
Later Work
In 2025 she returned to television in a new season of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
Personal Life
She married the businessman Zubin Irani, a Parsi, in 2001. They have a son, Zohr, and a daughter, Zoish.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Smriti Irani born?
Smriti Irani was born on 23 March 1976 in New Delhi, India and is 50 years old.
Featured image: Smriti Irani speaks at the ET Women Conclave, Gurugram, 9 April 2023. Photo by Ministry of Women and Child Development, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
