MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television’s Kaun Banega Crorepati is back with its 12th edition. The host of the show, Amitabh Bachchan invited participation with the lines - Har cheez ko break lag sakta hai… Sapno ko nahi. The most iconic show on Indian Television, KBC, is widely considered as a show that changes the lives of ordinary people, with the power of knowledge.
Here’s a look at some of the contestants of the earlier seasons, who inspired the nation with their stories as they went about overcoming the challenges of life armed with the power of knowledge and determination:
Harshvardhan Nawathe, winner, Season 1: About 20 years ago, the son of an IPS officer became the first crorepati of the most loved show. Before he appeared on the show, he was a civil service aspirant and due to some reason, could not appear for his exams. After coming on KBC and winning a huge cash price of Rs 1 Crore, he chose to pursue an MBA from Scotland. He held on to his dream of serving the nation and chose to work on projects closely monitored by the Government of India back then. He also associated with reputed NGOs in a bid to help the country. He then went on to work in top positions in MNCs.
Anamika Mazumdar, winner, Season 9: A social worker who ran an NGO in Jamshedpur, Anamika became a crorepati in KBC season 9. The mother of two dedicated her win to her family and revealed that her son burnt the midnight oil to help her prepare for the show. She also revealed that she was an avid watcher of quiz shows on television and enjoyed reading up on current affairs. She decided to use the winning amount to get better facilities for the needy, whose charity works to help children in difficult circumstances in Jharkhand.
Binita Jain, winner, Season 10: This lady, who went through many hardships in her life, had a turning point in her life in the form of KBC. Binita, whose husband was allegedly kidnapped by terrorists while travelling to work in 2003, never returned home. Since then, Binita has been taking care of her children as a single parent. Her dream of giving her kids a secure future led her to become the crorepati of KBC season 10. She planned to use the prize money to open a clinic for her son and save some for the future. She is one woman who inspired many single parents. Amitabh Bachchan was also inspired by Binita and appreciated her. At present, she is a principal of a school in Assam.
(Also read: Amitabh Bachchan starts prepping for Kaun Banega Crorepati 11)
Sanoj Raj, winner, Season 11: An IAS aspirant from the Jehanabad district of Bihar, Sanoj became the first crorepati of KBC 11. His confidence while answering the one crore question was remarkable and left Mr. Bachchan surprised. Sanoj dedicated the prize money to his father, who is a farmer with a dream of setting up a nursery of plants. After winning the amount, Sanoj again went back to preparing for his civil services exams.
Babita Tade, winner, Season 11: Babita, a mid-day meal cook also known as ‘Khichdi Kaku’, only earned Rs 1,500 per month by making khichdi for school students. She became the second crorepati of season 11 and her knowledge of things, activities and facts surprised the viewers. Babita revealed that her only source of learning was newspapers, which helped her with an understanding of the outside world. After winning 1 crore, she was appointed as the district ambassador of election commission in Amravati to encourage the masses to vote. Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, also called to congratulate her for being an inspiration and setting an example for others.
(Also read: Big B happy with inclusion of real life heroes on KBC)
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