Smriti Irani, from TV actress to India's HRD minister

New Delhi: The renowned TV actress Smriti Irani has been inducted in Modi cabinet as HRD minister.

In one sense, she has been rewarded foe giving Rahul Gandhi a run for money in his family pocket borough of Amethi.

So it's time to know - who is Smriti Irani?



Born as Smriti Malhotra, she started her career as a model and was the finalist of the beauty pageant Femina Miss India 1997.


Ekta Kapoor selected her for the role of Tulsi Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, a soap opera on Star Plus. Ekta showed confidence in Smriti despite the fact that all other members of her team rejected Smriti. But Ekta Kapoor put her foot down and asserted,” Smriti is my Tulsi.”



Tulsi's role proved to be a turning point in Smriti's career and she never looked back. The rest, as we say, is history.



Smriti holds the record of winning five consecutive Indian Television Academy Awards for Best Actress (Popular), four Indian Telly Awards, eight Star Parivaar Awards and other awards all for her performance in Kyunki. She is the only actress on Indian Television to have won five consecutive Indian Television Academy Awards.



Smriti also played the role of Sita in Zee TV's Ramayan in 2001.



Smriti joined the Bhartiya Janata Party in the year 2003. She fought from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency in both 2004 and 2009 but lost to Kapil Sibal both the times.



Smriti  was elected to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 2011.



Rajnath Singh, the new BJP president has promoted her as Vice President of the BJP in 2013.



Smriti married her childhood friend Zubin Irani in 2001. She bore two kids to Zubin - son Zohr and daughter Zoish. Smriti is a stepmother to Shanelle who is Zubin Irani's daughter from her previous marriage.Let's have a look at the some of the most interesting pics of Smriti Irani and her family: