Derek O'Brien (quizmaster)

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Derek O'Brien
Born (1961-03-13) 13 March 1961 (age 63)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Nationality Indian
Alma mater Scottish Church College
Occupation Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha & National Spokesperson, Trinamool Congress
Known for Quizmaster
Political party All India Trinamool Congress
Spouse(s) Tonuca Basu
Website www.derek.in

Derek O'Brien (born 13 March 1961) is an Indian television personality and Member of Parliament for All India Trinamool Congress. He hosts one of the longest-running game shows on Indian television, the Bournvita Quiz Contest.[1]

Early life and career

O'Brien was born in Kolkata, India to an Anglo-Indian family on March 13, 1961. He went to St. Xavier's Collegiate School in the city and studied English, St. Columba's School in Delhi, India. After two years at Scottish Church College, Kolkata, he began his professional career as a journalist for Sportsworld magazine, but soon shifted to advertising where he worked at Ogilvy for eight years.[2][3] His father Neil O'Brien is considered a pioneer of quizzing in India.[4][5][6]

Career

He hosts one of the longest running knowledge game show on Indian television, the Bournvita Quiz Contest.[7] He won the award for Best Anchor of a Game/Quiz Show at the Hero Honda Indian Television Academy Awards in 2003.[8] He conducts inter-school quiz contests not only India, but also in United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.

In addition to his television work, O'Brien has also over 50 reference and quiz books for Rupa, Pearson and Penguin India. [9]

He has his firm Derek O'Brien & Associates, help make "knowledge interesting", in their own words. Their clients include, among others, Cadbury India, Vodafone, ITC Foods and Max Life Insurance.

Since 1991, his firm, Derek O'Brien & Associates has been researching and hosting The Brand Equity Quiz, the country's longest running corporate quiz show.

In 2008, he filmed a new quiz series in Pakistan called Mind Grind.[10]

Political career

In 2004, he joined the All India Trinamool Congress, a party in West Bengal, India.[11] He is currently the vice-president of All India Trinamool Congress [12] In 2009 he was made the head of the Passenger Services Committee of the Indian Railways, under Railway and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.[13]

He was sworn in as Member of Parliament on August 19, 2011 [14] and is one of 16 MPs elected to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal.[15]

In 2012, O'Brien cast a vote in the presidential election to elect the 13th President of India. His vote is believed to be the first presidential vote cast by an elected member of the Anglo-Indian community—as members of the community have previously been nominated to the Lok Sabha and other assemblies and are not eligible to vote.[16]

Personal life

Derek O'Brien has two younger brothers: Andy, who lives in Perth and Barry, who lives in Kolkata. Barry O'Brien is a member of BJP, a political rival of Derek's party TMC, since June 2014. He is married to Dr. Tonuca Basu, MD, who lives in Brooklyn, New York. He has one daughter, Aanya aged about 20 years from his first wife Rila Banerjee (earlier Rila O'Brien) whom he knew from his days at Dalhousie Institute (a club in Kolkata patronised by well to do Anglo Indians) and whom he married in 1991 and then separated sometime after 2005. [17] [18] .[19]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2013/aug/020813-derek-obrien-bournvita-quiz-contest-host-quizmaster-interview.htm
  2. ↑ Dad's hobby is my profession: Derek O'Brien, The Times of India, 26 October 2002.
  3. ↑ Chowdhury, Souvik: Pepping up quiz, Metro Plus Hyderabad, September 24, 2003.
  4. ↑ Boy oh boy! It's an O'Brien!
  5. ↑ Dad's hobby is my profession: Derek O’ Brien
  6. ↑ [1]
  7. ↑ Radhakrishnan, Sankar: What makes Bournvita quiz tick again?, The Hindu BusinessLine, May 9, 2002.
  8. ↑ The Hero Honda Indian Television Academy Awards, 2003, Indian Television Academy, 2003.
  9. ↑ Author Lounge - Derek O'Brien, Penguin Books India.
  10. ↑ Derek O'Brien to quiz Pak children, NDTV, April 12, 2008.
  11. ↑ Derek O’Brien: From quizmaster to politician, ExpressIndia.com, June 3, 2005.
  12. ↑ Trinamool Congress: Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia to give Mamata Banerjee campaign tech edge, Economic Times, March 14, 2011.
  13. ↑ Derek O'Brien gets a new role in Railways
  14. ↑ Yechury, Ahmed Patel take oath in Rajya Sabha
  15. ↑ [2]
  16. ↑ President poll: Derek O' Brien first Anglo-Indian to vote, IBN Live, 19 July 2012.
  17. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/2000/08/28/stories/13280785.htm
  18. ↑ http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050626/asp/calcutta/story_4916582.asp
  19. ↑ http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-24/people/32393197_1_secret-passions-soccer-team-derek-o-brien

External links

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