Derek O’Brien (Indian Politician) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	Politician, Quiz Master, Author
Nationality	Indian
Date of Birth	13/03/1961
Age	65 years
Birthplace	Kolkata

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Eye Color	Green
Hair Color	Salt & Pepper

School	St. Xavier's Collegiate School, Kolkata St.Columba's School, Delhi
College/University	Scottish Church College, Kolkata
Qualification	Bachelor of Arts

Religion	Christianity
Food Habit	Non-Vegetarian

Marital Status

Family

Wife/Spouse	Rila Banerjee (ex-wife; m.1991) Dr. Tonuca Basu (m.2006- present)
Children	Daughter- Aanya (From his first wife Rila Chaterjee)

Parents

Father	Neil O’Brien
Mother	Joyce O'Brien

Siblings

Brother(s)	Barry O'Brien Andy O'Brien

Politics

Political Party

All India Trinamool Congress

Political Journey

Derek O'Brien entered politics in 2004 by joining the All India Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee.
Soon Derek O'Brien was appointed as the spokesperson of Trinamool Congress and later nominated as Rajya Sabha member in 2011 when Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal.
O’Brien was the first person among elected Anglo-Indian members to cast a vote to choose the President of India.
Derek O'Brien had chaired the 'Transport' and 'Tourism & Culture' Department's Parliamentary Standing Committee from 2017 to 2019.
He is a member of many parliamentary committees in the current term (2017-2023) such as the Business Advisory Committee, General Purposes Committee, Transport Committee, Tourism and Culture Committee, Human Resource Development Committee, and Ethics Committee.
Derek O'Brien took the honour of addressing the United Nations General Assembly being a part of a delegation of the Indian parliament.
The TMC appointed him the party's national spokesperson in March 2023.
He was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha for a third term on 19 August 2023, representing West Bengal until 18 August 2029.
He serves as the leader of the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha.
In 2015, he was appointed as the Chief National Spokesperson for the Trinamool Congress.

1. Derek O’Brien, an Indian politician and renowned quiz master, hosts school-level quiz competitions worldwide.
2. At the age of 13, O’Brien experienced sexual molestation on a crowded bus after a tennis practice session.
3. O’Brien’s mother celebrated with a family lunch to motivate him when he struggled academically due to a mid-year school change.
4. His grandfather, "Amos O’Brien," was the first from his community to lead the English department at Banaras Hindu University.
5. Neil O’Brien, Derek’s father, mentored him in the art of quiz hosting, organizing India’s first well-structured quiz in 1967 in Kolkata.
6. He received the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Host consecutively from 2003 to 2005.
7. O’Brien conducted quizzes worldwide, including in countries like Dubai, Singapore, and the United States.
8. Having excelled as a quiz master, O’Brien joined the Trinamool Congress in 2004 when it was in the opposition.
9. Despite his association with the Trinamool Congress, O’Brien’s brother Barry O’Brien is now affiliated with the BJP.
10. An accomplished writer, O’Brien penned the popular novel "Inside Parliament."
11. In response to accusations of unruly behavior in parliament, O’Brien cited the denial of a vote on the "Farm Bills 2020" resolution as a breach of parliamentary democracy.