On Smriti Irani aka Tulsi Virani's birthday, a look into her journey from modelling to politics

Television actress turned politician, Smriti Irani celebrates her birthday on March 23. The famous face is serving as the Minister of Textiles and was given additional charge as Minister of Women and Child Development in the 2nd cabinet of Modi since May 2019. She started off as a model and went on to become a leading female star of small-screens in early 2000. Let's take a look at her journey: 

Here's wishing her a very Happy Birthday!

(Pic Courtesy: Instagram/Smriti Irani)

Smriti is an MP from the Amethi constituency and won Lok Sabha elections in 2019 by defeating Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Irani joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2003. She became the vice-president of the Maharashtra Youth Wing in 2004. 

In 2000, Smriti Irani made her début with TV series Aatish and Hum Hain Kal Aaj Aur Kal. She also starred in the Kavita serial on DD metro. But it was with Balaji Telefilms' Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi by Ekta Kapoor which earned her massive stardom. She holds the record of winning five consecutive Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress - Popular, four Indian Telly Awards. 

She was one of the participants of the beauty pageant Miss India 1998 who couldn't reach the top 9, along with TV actress Gauri Pradhan Tejwani. In the same year, she featured in a song 'Boliyan' of the album 'Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag' with Mika Singh.

Smriti Irani revealed that she undertook her exams for Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) first year from Delhi University's School of Open Learning, but did not complete the three-year degree course. She later declared that she had a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. 

Born as Smriti Malhotra to a Bengali mother, Shibani Bagchi, and a Punjabi-Maharashtrian father, Ajay Kumar Malhotra, she is the eldest of 3 sisters.