Kirti Azad is a former Indian cricketer and politician who played 7 Tests and 25 ODIs for the Indian cricket team from 1980 to 1986. He is the son of veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Bihar Bhagwat Jha Azad. Azad is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC).
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Wiki/Biography
Kirti Azad was born on Friday, 2 January 1959 (age 61 years; as in 2020) in Darbhanga, Bihar. His full name is Kirtivardhan Bhagwat Jha Azad. Their zodiac sign is Capricorn. Azad completed his primary education from Modern School, Delhi and also played for the school cricket team. He obtained BA History (Hons) degree from the renowned St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University in 1981. This all-rounder has played 7 Test matches and 25 ODI matches for India from 1980 to 1986. He was also a part of Indian cricket. The team that won the 1983 ODI Cricket World Cup. While playing Ranji Trophy matches at the age of 34, Azad entered politics in 1993 by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2015, the BJP suspended him for his involvement in anti-party activities. Later, he joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in February 2019.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 11″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye colour: black
family and caste
Kirti Azad belongs to a Hindu family.
parents and siblings
His father Shri Bhagwat Jha Azad was a six-time Lok Sabha member from Bhagalpur and former Chief Minister of Bihar. Bhagwat died in 2011 due to prolonged illness.
Bhagwat Jha Azad
His mother, Smt. Indira Jha Azad died in 2009. His brother Dr Rajvardhan Azad is the former Chief Professor of Ophthalmology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and Chairman of the revived Bihar State University Service Commission.
Dr. Rajvardhan Jha Azad, former eye specialist of AIIMS
wife and children
Kirti is married to Poonam Azad, a former Aam Aadmi Party politician and currently a member of the Indian National Congress (INC).
A picture of Kirti Azad with his wife Poonam Azad at the wedding ceremony of their younger son.
His wife contested the 2020 assembly elections from Sangam Vihar constituency of Delhi and lost.
Kirti Azad with wife Poonam Azad during election campaign.
His younger son Soumya Vardhan is a businessman, while elder son Surya Vardhan works in an MNC in Singapore. Both his sons have played cricket for Delhi in their youth.
cricket career
All-rounder Kirti Azad was an aggressive right-handed batsman and off-spinner.
An old picture of Kirti Azad
He received his first national call-up for the 1980/81 India tour of Australia and New Zealand. In December 1980, he made his ODI debut against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1980/81. Unfortunately, he could score only 4 runs in that game. In the same year, he made his Test debut against New Zealand in Wellington. He scored 20 and 16 runs in the two innings as India lost the match by 62 runs. He played in the first three Tests of the 6-match series during England’s tour of India in 1981/82. However, he scored a total of 71 runs in 4 innings and was dropped from the Indian team. He was then selected to play in the historic 1983 Cricket World Cup.
Kirti Azad posing with the 1983 Cricket World Cup trophy
His international career was limited to 7 Test matches and 25 ODI matches. Despite not tasting success at the international level, Kirti Azad remained a pillar of strength for Delhi cricket. In 95 Ranji matches, he scored 4867 runs at an average of 47.72. He also took 162 wickets in bowling at an average of 28.91.
political career
Kirti Azad entered politics in 1993 and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as MLA from Gol Market constituency of Delhi from 1993–98. After this, he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Darbhanga, Bihar in 1999 on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. In 2009 he was again elected as MP of Darbhanga. Between 2009 and 2014, he also served as a member of the House. Committee, Member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development, Member of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, Member of the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, Member of the Joint Committee on Security in Parliament Complex, Member of Khadi and Village Industries Corporation and Member of the Youth Affairs and Sports Advisory Committee. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he again won the MP seat from Darbhanga, Bihar.
Kirti Azad with PM Narendra Modi
On 23 December 2015, he was suspended from BJP for anti-party activities. On 18 February 2019, Azad joined the Indian National Congress (INC).
Indian National Congress (INC) President Rahul Gandhi welcomed Kirti Azad into his party.
He contested the 2019 general elections from Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency representing the Indian National Congress against BJP candidate Pashupati Nath Singh. However, he lost by a huge margin of 4.8 lakh votes.
controversies
It is extremely impossible for any politician in India to stay away from controversies. Here are some of the controversies that Kirti Azad was involved in:
- From 2011 to 2015, he kept claiming that there was large-scale financial corruption in the functioning of Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). He accused Arun Jaitley, a member of his own party BJP and DDCA President for 14 years, of being actively involved in the scam. While being a BJP member, he had raised the same issue in the Lok Sabha also.
In December 2015, he was suspended from the BJP for anti-party activities. After being suspended, the former cricketer said, “I raised the issue of Rs 400 crore scam in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) with documents to support my claims, but the party tried to ‘stab me in the back’. of.”
In December 2015, he was suspended from the BJP for anti-party activities. After being suspended, the former cricketer said, “I raised the issue of Rs 400 crore scam in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) with documents to support my claims, but the party tried to ‘stab me in the back’. of.”- In February 2019, just three days after joining the Congress, Azad claimed that Congress members had looted polling stations for him and his father during elections in the 80s and 90s. Later he realized his mistake and apologized and said,
I am sorry. In the heat of the moment and in an over-excited mood, I made such remarks so as to boost the morale of the Congress workers. Actually, I wanted to say booth management, but somehow I got carried away.
criminal case
Kirti Azad has four criminal cases pending against him and twelve charges have been framed against him.
net worth
According to the declaration in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Kirti Azad’s total assets are Rs 8,40,26,755.
Facts/General Knowledge
- Reportedly, many cricket experts believe that Azad joined the Indian cricket team because his father Bhagwat Jha Azad was a Union Minister and CM of Bihar at that time.
- The 1983 Cricket World Cup holds a special place in Kirti’s heart.
- Kirti Azad acted in the Hindi film ‘Kirket’ released in 2019.
- In an interview with Lallantop, Azad narrated how when he joined BJP and became an MLA, his father, a veteran Congress leader, asked him to leave their house within three months.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn