Derek O'Brien (politician)

Derek O'Brien
Official portrait, 2019
Leader of Trinamool Congress in Rajya Sabha
Assumed office
19 August 2011 (2011-08-19)
Appointed byMamata Banerjee
Preceded byMukul Roy
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Assumed office
19 August 2011 (2011-08-19)
Preceded byArjun Kumar Sengupta
ConstituencyWest Bengal
Personal details
Born (1961-03-13) 13 March 1961
Calcutta, West Bengal, India
(present-day Kolkata)
PartyAll India Trinamool Congress
Spouses
  • Rila Banerjee
    (m. 1991)
  • Tonuca Basu
    (m. 2006)
Children1
Parent
Alma mater
Occupation
Websitewww.derek.in
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Derek O'Brien (born 13 March 1961) is an Indian politician, television personality, quizmaster, and author. He has been elected three times as Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha. He represents Bengal in Parliament and serves as the Parliamentary Party Leader of the third largest party in Parliament, the All India Trinamool Congress.

In 2012, he represented India and addressed the United Nations General Assembly. He was awarded ‘Parliamentarian Of The Year’ in 2023.

He has addressed students at Harvard, Yale, Columbia, IIMs, IITs and various other premier institutions across India and globally.

For three years in a row he was conferred the Anchor of the Year award by the Indian Television Academy and hosted iconic shows like the much loved Bournvita Quiz Contest.

He is a celebrated author, having authored more than fifty bestselling reference, quiz, and school textbooks.

He is the first and only Anglo-Indian to be elected to Parliament. He fights courageously and consistently for the protection of rights of the economically and socially challenged.

He has raised issues of grave concern and vital importance,  relentlessly and fearlessly, inside Parliament and outside it.