Who is Babul Supriyo?
Babul Supriyo (born 15 December 1970) is an Indian playback singer, live performer, television host, actor, and former politician. He is a Member of Parliament representing Asansol in the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha and also served as the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in the Union Council of Ministers.
Two-time MP Babul Supriyo quits BJP, joins TMC
In an unexpected development on Saturday, former Union minister Babul Supriyo joined the Trinamool Congress, days after he officially announced to have quit politics. Babul Supriyo was one of the staunch critics of Trinamool Supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and as he had announced his resignation from politics, he earlier maintained that he would not be joining any other political party.
In the latest Cabinet reshuffle, Babul Supriyo was dropped from the Cabinet and within a few days, he announced his self-exile from politics. However, he did not officially resign as an MP from the BJP.
There was no murmur about Babul Supriyo joining the Trinamool as reports said that the BJP kept the singer-turned-politician as a star campaigner for BJP’s Bhabanipur by-poll candidate Priyanka Tibrewal. In fact, he tweeted in support of Tibrewal, who represented the former minister in several legal cases, Supriyo had tweeted.
Babul Supriyo Biography, Wiki
Babul Supriyo was born in a small town in West Bengal named Uttarpara. After completing his schooling in Don Bosco Liluah, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Calcutta University. Belonging to a musical family, he decided to enter the entertainment industry, but before taking up singing as a full-time career, he briefly worked at the Standard Chartered Bank.
After successful decades in Bollywood, he entered politics in 2014 as a candidate for the BJP. He won his first-ever elections in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, defeating Dola Sen from Asansol. He was made Minister of State in the Ministry of Urban Development and also the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
Later he switched to the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. He contested and won the Asansol constituency in West Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He defeated TMC’s Moon Moon Sen By a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. Babul has contested in the 2021 WB assembly election on a BJP ticket from the Tollyganj constituency but lost to the TMC candidate.
Later in the cabinet reshuffle, he was axed from the Modi cabinet 2.0. He later quit BJP also and announced that he is quitting politics as well. But after a brief cooling period, he joined the Trinamool Congress which is led by Mamta Bannerji.
Babul Supriyo Family and Caste
Babul Supriyo is of the Bengali Ethnicity. His real name is Supriya Baral and changed it to Babul Supriyo when he moved to Mumbai in 1992. He was born to Sunil Chandra Baral & Sumitra Baral.
Babul Supriyo met her first wife Riaa in Toronto; during a Shah Rukh Khan concert. They got married in 1995. They have a daughter together, Sharmilee (born- 1999). They got divorced in 2006.
Babul met his second wife, Rachna Sharma, in 2014. She is an air hostess and he met her on a flight. They started dating and got married after two years in 2016. they have a daughter together, Naina (born- 12 August 2017).
Babul Supriyo Singing Career
Babul Supriyo moved to Mumbai in 1992 to establish his career in Bollywood. He got his first break with Kalyanji, who selected him to go on world tours and perform in live shows along with Bollywood actors. In May 1993, he got to perform in Canada and the USA with Amitabh Bachchan.
In 1994 and 1995, he performed with all the big Bollywood stars internationally. In 1997 and 1999, he got the opportunity to perform with Asha Bhonsle in the USA. He performed successfully in many centers around the world like Holland, the USA, UK, South America, and many more.
He used to be featured regularly in music festivals. In July 2002, he was presented with the Honorary Citizenship by the State Council of Atlanta, USA; he became one of the youngest performers to receive this honor.
Babul Supriyo Political Career
Babul Supriyo was an ardent follower of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi. Once while traveling on a flight, he was coincidentally seated with Ramdev. During the flight, Ramdev persuaded him to join the BJP and contest the Lok Sabha elections. He agreed and joined the BJP in 2014.
He was announced as the BJP’s candidate for the 2014 General Elections from the Asansol Lok Sabha Constituency of West Bengal. He contested against Dola Sen of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and won with a margin of more than 70,000 votes.
He was elected as an MP and was inducted in the Narendra Modi government as the Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Urban Development, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation on 9 November 2014. He became the youngest minister in Narendra Modi’s Cabinet. On 12 July 2016. his portfolio was changed and he was given the charge of the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
In 2019, BJP announced his name as the party’s candidate for the 2019 General Elections from the Asansol Lok Sabha Constituency again. This time his opponent was Moon Moon Sen. Supriyo won the elections with a margin of 2 Lakh votes. On 31 May 2019, he was inducted into Narendra Modi’s cabinet as the Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
On 7 July 2021, he resigned from Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle. On 31 July 2021, he took to Facebook to announce his decision to quit politics and his Lok Sabha membership.
Babul Supriyo Awards
- Honorary citizenship by the State Council of Atlanta in 2002
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Tak Jhal Mishti by the Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards in 2002
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Kasauti Zindagii Kay by the Kalakar Awards in 2003
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Mayer Anchal by the Kalakar Awards in 2004
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Mayer Anchal by the Kalakar Awards in 2004
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Subho Drishti by the Bengal Film Journalists’ Awards in 2006
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Subho Drishti by the Bengal Film Journalists’ Awards in 2006
- Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for Kasauti Zindagii Kay by the Zee Gold Awards in 2007
- Walked the ramp at the Grand Finale of the Indian Federation for Fashion Development’s Runway Week (Season 6) for fashion designer Agnimitra Paul in 2016
Babul Supriyo Controversies
- A defamation case was filed against Supriyo by TMC MP Mahua Moitra. In her complaint, she stated that Supriyo had tarnished her reputation by calling her drunk on country liquor during a live TV debate. His exact words were Mahua drunk on Mahua (country liquor is also called Mahua in West Bengal).
- He made a statement in February 2018, asking for a ban on all the Pakistani artists in India and to send them back to Pakistan.
- In March 2018, while addressing the public in a relief camp in Asansol, a few members of the audience started chanting slogans against Supriyo. He lost his temper and threatened everyone that he would skin them alive if they don’t stop.
- On 18 September 2018, while he was attending a function for the differently-abled, he got distracted by a man who was moving. He screamed at him and threatened him to break his leg and give him a crutch. He then reportedly asked his security personnel to break the man’s leg if he moves.
Some Interesting Facts about Babul Supriyo
- He was born and brought up in Uttarapara (a small town on the banks of the Hooghly river) in a Bengali family having traditional roots in music. He was highly influenced by his grandfather Banikantha NC Baral (a Bengali composer and vocalist). He learned all the basics of music from his grandfather.
- After completing his college in 1991, he got a job in the Standard Chartered Bank. He worked with the bank for a short period and then, located to Mumbai in 1992 to make his career in Bollywood.
- After landing up in Mumbai, Kalyanji (Music Director & Composer), gave him his first break and chose him to perform in foreign live shows. He changed his name to Babul Supriyo from Babul Supriyo Baral after he entered the entertainment industry.
- He toured the USA and Canada in 1993 with Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan to perform live shows.
- He sang many songs and did several shows, but he rose to fame as a playback singer in 2000 after he sang “Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara” in the debut movie of Hrithik Roshan “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai.”
- His other famous Bollywood hits are ‘Hum Tum’ (Hum Tum), ‘Pari Pari Hai Ek Pari’ (Hungama), ‘Chanda Chamke’ (Fanna), and more.
- Being an avid admirer of Narendra Modi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he joined BJP in March 2014. Babul Supriyo while taking Oath
- On 9 November 2014, he was inducted as the Union Minister of State and became the youngest minister in the Narendra Modi Cabinet. Babul Supriyo with Narendra Modi
- In 2017, Praful Patel (President of the All India Football Federation) announced Supriyo’s appointment as the Vice President of U-17 World Cup Organising Committee on Twitter. Supriyo’s appointment as Vice President of FIFA under-17 World Cup Organising Committee 2017
Babul Supriyo FAQ’s
Who is Babul Supriyo?
Babul Supriyo (born 15 December 1970) is an Indian playback singer, live performer, television host, actor, and former politician. He is a Member of Parliament representing Asansol in the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha and also served as the Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, in the Union Council of Ministers.
Did Babul Supriyo leave BJP?
Yes, on Saturday, 18th September 2021, Babul Supriyo left BJP and joined TMC.
What is Babul Supriyo’s net worth?
Rs. 6 Crore (as in 2019)
Who is Babul Supriyo’s second wife?
Babul met his second wife, Rachna Sharma, in 2014. She is an air hostess and he met her on a flight. They started dating and got married after two years in 2016. they have a daughter together, Naina (born- 12 August 2017).
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