Kaun Banega Crorepati airs on Sony TV. (Photo: PR)Kaun Banega Crorepati is currently airing its twelfth season. Have you ever wondered what happened to the winners of past KBC seasons? Then go ahead and read what the champions are up to after winning crores on the show.
Season 11
Sanoj Raj: The last season saw multiple crorepatis, the first being Sanoj Raj. An IAS aspirant from Bihar’s Jehanabad, Raj had shared that he had always been a fan of the show. The 25-year-old, however, said he would be fully happy in his life only when he manages to pass his IAS exams. The young man is currently preparing for UPSC examination.
Babita Tade: Babita Tade became the next big winner of Kaun Banega Crorepati 11. The midday meal cook from Amravati impressed host Amitabh Bachchan with her simplicity and composure. In an exclusive conversation with indianexpress.com post her win, Tade shared, “I want to build a Shivalaya and then save enough for my kids’ future. I also want to help the students in my school. I want to get a water filter and build a kitchen shed, as they have a hard time eating during the rains.” Since she was emotionally connected to the kids, even after becoming a crorepati, Babita Tade is working as a cook in her school. She has, however, invested her prize money.
Kaun Banega Crorepati 11 had four winners. (Photo: PR)
Gautam Kumar Jha: Bihar’s Gautam Kumar Jha became the third contestant to take home Rs 1 crore in the 11th season. A senior engineer in the railways, Jha said he gathered all the knowledge while prepping for his civil services exams. The Madhubani resident had shared that he wants to build a house in Patna with his prize money, while his wife wants to support girls from their village. Jha continues to work with the railways.
Ajeet Kumar: Hajipur resident Ajeet Kumar also won a crore on Kaun Banega Crorepati 11. Host Amitabh Bachchan, while lauding his knowledge, had even called Kumar the best player of the season for his smart gameplay. As he was preparing for a job as a jail superintendent, Kumar said he would use a part of his prize money to form a rehab facility for convicts. Apart from getting a better lifestyle for his family, he also said he would spend a certain sum helping people around him. As per latest information, Ajeet Kumar did crack his exams and is now a superintendent.
Season 10
Binita Jain: Assam’s Binita Jain took home Rs 1 crore. Jain, who has been working as a teacher in a coaching centre, invested her prize money to secure her children’s future. The proud mother recently inaugurated a dental clinic for her son in her hometown.
Binita Jain took home Rs 1 crore. (Photo: PR)
Season 9
Anamika Majumdar: Kaun Banega Crorepati made a comeback after three years with season 9. The sole crorepati of the season was Jamshedpur’s Anamika Majumdar. A social worker, she used her prize money for the betterment of her NGO. She is still actively pursuing social causes and has become quite popular in her city.
Anamika Majumdar hailed from Jamshedpur. (Photo: PR)
Season 8
Achin and Sarthak Narula: In season 8, brothers Achin and Sarthak became the first contestants to win Rs 7 crore on KBC. The Delhi residents were on the show to win money for their mother’s cancer treatment. They are currently running their own business.
Brothers Achin and Sarthak Narula were the first contestants to take home Rs 7 crore. Photo: (Achin Narula/ Facebook)
Megha Patil: The season also found another winner in Megha Patil. The cancer survivor won Rs 1 crore on the show. Not much is known about Patil after her appearance on the show.
Season 7
Taj Mohammed Rangrez: The seventh season of KBC came with the prize money of Rs 7 crore. A teacher by profession, Taj Mohammed Rangrez won a crore on the show. He not only used the prize money for his daughter’s eye treatment and building a house for his family, he also got two orphaned girls married. He had shared that post his participation, he was lovingly called Crorepati Rangrez by people. Apart from his usual life, in 2016, Taj even acted in a film, Mere Desh Ki Beti.
KBC 7 winner Taj Mohammed made his acting debut in 2016. (Photo: Taj Mohammed Rangrez/Facebook)
Firoz Fatima: Firoz Fatima also took home Rs 1 crore in season 7. The young girl was on the show to help her family repay a big loan they took for her father’s treatment. Post the death of her father, Fatima shared she couldn’t pursue her education given financial constraints. Apart from funding her education, the young girl also wanted to buy advanced machines to increase their farm yield. There is not much known about her after the show.
Season 6
Sunmeet Kaur Sawhney: Sunmeet Kaur Sawhney created history by becoming the first woman to win Rs 5 crore on KBC. Always wanting to be a fashion designer, the contestant had shared that KBC was her shot at fulfilling her dreams. After winning the jackpot of Rs 5 crore, she went on to start her own apparel brand with a friend in 2015 in Delhi. The entrepreneur is married to actor Manmeet Singh, and lives in Mumbai with their two daughters.
Sunmeet Kaur is the first female contestant to take home Rs 5 crore. (Photo: Sunmeet Kaur/Facebook)
Manoj Kumar Raina: Manoj Kumar Raina took home Rs 1 crore in season 6. The Indian Railway employee called meeting host Amitabh Bachchan as his ultimate dream. While not much is known about him, Raina had mentioned that he wants to go back and build a home in native Kashmir.
Season 5
Sushil Kumar: Given it was season five, the makers had increased the prize money, and Sushil Kumar from Bihar took home Rs 5 crore. The IAS aspirant, however, could not manage the sudden fame and money, and now calls it the worst phase of his life. Kumar is a teacher and is working passionately towards saving the environment. He even participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa post his KBC stint.
Sushil Kumar’s winning moment is still remembered. (Photo: Express Archive)
Anil Kumar Sinha: Working in a prominent bank in Kolkata, Anil Kumar Sinha took home Rs 1 crore from the show. Last year, he started his own YouTube channel to share his knowledge and help people prepare for KBC. However, he has uploaded only two videos so far.
Anil Kumar Sinha won Rs 1 crore on KBC 5. (Photo: Anil Kumar Sinha/Facebook)
Season 4
Rahat Taslim: Belonging to a middle-class Muslim family, Rahat Taslim came on KBC with the hopes of bettering her life. As luck would have it, she went on to win Rs 1 crore on the show. While she had been married off due to family pressure at a young age, post her win, she went on to start her own garment business in her hometown Giridih, Jharkhand.
Season 2
Brajesh Dubey: The second season of Kaun Banega Crorepati had doubled the prize amount from the earlier Rs 1 crore. An electrical engineer from Guna, Brajesh Dubey, was the big winner of the season. However, he couldn’t answer the last question and went home with Rs 1 crore. He is the son of national hockey umpire K N Dubey. A look at his recent Facebook posts suggests he is enjoying his life away from the limelight.
Brajesh Dubey was the winner of KBC 2. (Photo: Brajesh Dubey Bobby/Facebook)
Season 1
Harshvardhan Nawathe: A young man, gearing up for his civil services exams, created history by becoming the first crorepati of KBC. Post his big win, Nawathe went on to enroll himself in a business school in the UK. Happily married and settled in Mumbai with his two kids, he is now working in an MNC at a senior level. Also, not many know that he is married to popular Marathi actress Sarika Nawathe.
Harshvardhan Nawathe created history by becoming the first crorepati of KBC. (Photo: Sarika Nawathe/Facebook)
KBC Junior
Ravi Mohan Saini: The first winner of KBC Junior (2001) was Rajasthan’s Ravi Mohan Saini. The 14-year-old impressed the host with his intelligence and maturity. He is now the Superintendent of Police, Porbandar. In a recent interaction with The Indian Express, Saini had mentioned that after completing his MBBS, he appeared for UPSC and joined police services taking inspiration from his father, a Navy officer.
Kaun Banega Crorepati Jodi Special
Vijay and Arundhati Raul: This special edition of Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2001 featured jodis. Orissa’s Vijay Raul and wife Arundhati won Rs 1 crore on the show. Not much is known about the two after their appearance on the show.