Kirti Azad

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Kirti Azad

| image =

| country = India

| birth_name = Kirti Azad

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|01|02|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bhagalpur, Bihar, India

| nickname =

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| heightm =

| term_start = 4 June 2024

| predecessor = S. S. Ahluwalia

| constituency = Bardhaman–Durgapur

| majority = 1,37,981

| office = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

| constituency2 = Darbhanga

| term_start1 = 16 May 2009

| term_end1 = 23 May 2019

| predecessor1 = Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi

| successor1 = Gopal Jee Thakur

| constituency1 = Darbhanga

| term_start2 = 1999

| term_end2 = 2004

| predecessor2 = Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi

| successor2 = Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi

| office3 = State In–charge of the All India Trinamool Congress, Goa

| term_start3 = 5 May 2022

| term_end3 =

| predecessor3 = Mahua Moitra

| successor3 =

| office4 = Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly

| term_start4 = 1993

| term_end4 = 1998

| constituency4 = Gole Market

| successor4 = Shiela Dixit

| party = All India Trinamool Congress {{small|{{nowrap|(2021–present)}}}}

| spouse = Poonam Azad {{small|{{nowrap|(d. 2024)}}}}

| father = Bhagwat Jha Azad

| children = 2

| module = {{Infobox cricketer | embed=yes

|batting = Right-handed

|bowling = Right-arm offbreak

|role = Bowler

|international = true

|country=India

|testdebutdate = 21 February

|testdebutyear = 1981

|testdebutagainst = New Zealand

|testcap = 150

|lasttestdate = 12 November

|lasttestyear = 1983

|lasttestagainst = West Indies

|odidebutdate = 6 December

|odidebutyear = 1980

|odidebutagainst = Australia

|odicap = 29

|lastodidate = 18 April

|lastodiyear = 1986

|lastodiagainst = Pakistan

|club1 = Delhi

|year1 = 1976–1994

|columns = 4

|column1 = Test

|matches1 = 7

|runs1 = 135

|bat avg1 = 11.25

|100s/50s1 = 0/0

|top score1 = 24

|deliveries1 = 750

|wickets1 = 3

|bowl avg1 = 124.33

|fivefor1 = 0

|tenfor1 = 0

|best bowling1 = 2/84

|catches/stumpings1 = 3/–

|column2 = ODI

|matches2 = 25

|runs2 = 269

|bat avg2 = 14.15

|100s/50s2 = 0/0

|top score2 = 39*

|deliveries2 = 390

|wickets2 = 7

|bowl avg2 = 39.00

|fivefor2 = 0

|tenfor2 = 0

|best bowling2 = 2/48

|catches/stumpings2 = 7/–

|column3 = FC

|matches3 = 142

|runs3 = 6,634

|bat avg3 = 39.48

|100s/50s3 = 20/27

|top score3 = 215

|deliveries3 = 15,420

|wickets3 = 234

|bowl avg3 = 30.72

|fivefor3 = 5

|tenfor3 = 0

|best bowling3 = 7/63

|catches/stumpings3 = 95/–

|column4 = LA

|matches4 = 72

|runs4 = 1,521

|bat avg4 = 27.16

|100s/50s4 = 0/8

|top score4 = 94

|deliveries4 = 2,086

|wickets4 = 50

|bowl avg4 = 27.48

|fivefor4 = 0

|tenfor4 = 0

|best bowling4 = 3/16

|catches/stumpings4 = 22/–

|date = 19 August 2014

|source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/26325.html ESPNcricinfo

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}

}}

| otherparty = Indian National Congress
{{small|{{nowrap|(2019–2021)}}}}

Bharatiya Janata Party
{{small|{{nowrap|(1990–2019)}}}}

}}

Kirtivardhan Bhagwat Jha Azad ({{audio|Kirti_Azad.ogg|pronunciation}}; born 2 January 1959) is an Indian politician and former cricketer, who played seven Test matches and 25 One Day International for the India national cricket team between 1980 and 1986. Azad was a member of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.

Azad is the son of former Chief Minister of Bihar Bhagwat Jha Azad. He was an aggressive right-hand batsman and a quickish offspinner. A surprise choice for the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1980–81, he made his Test debut at Wellington. He was part of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web | url = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/26325.html | title = Kirti Azad | publisher=ESPNcricinfo | access-date = 6 March 2011}}

He won the 2014 Lok Sabha election for Darbhanga, Bihar. In February 2019, Kirti Azad joined Indian National Congress.{{cite news |title=Rebel BJP MP Kirti Azad joins Congress |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cricketer-turned-politician-kirti-azad-joins-congress/article26301848.ece |work=The Hindu |date=18 February 2019|language=en-IN}} He joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) after meeting TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Delhi on 23 November 2021.{{cite news |title=Congress leader Kirti Azad joins TMC |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/congress-leader-kirti-azad-joins-tmc/articleshow/87872157.cms |work=Economic Times |date=23 November 2021}}

Domestic career

He attended Modern School in Delhi where he was part of the school cricket team. Azad, a nonconformist in many ways{{explain|date=September 2019}}, was a stalwart allrounder for Delhi for many years, and in 95 Ranji Trophy matches he scored 4867 runs at an average of 47.72 and took 162 wickets at and average of 28.91. His highest score was 215 against Himachal Pradesh in 1985–86.

International career

He was a surprise choice for the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1980–81, making his Test debut at Wellington. He then played three Tests without much success against England in 1981-82 and was later picked for the 1983 World Cup.

In his international career Azad played 7 test matches (1981–83) and 25 one-day-internationals (1980–86). Though full of potential, he couldn't take his domestic performance to the international level, scoring only 135 test runs and 269 in one-days. He picked 3 and 7 wickets in the two forms, respectively.{{cite web |title=Kirti Azad |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/26325.html |work=ESPNcricinfo |publisher=ESPN Sports Media Ltd. |access-date=2 August 2020}}

Politics

He followed his father Bhagwat Jha Azad, former Chief Minister of Bihar,{{Cite web |url=https://archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampdetail.php?mpcode=25 |title=Shri Kirti (Jha) Azad - Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) - Who's Who - Government: National Portal of India |access-date=6 January 2020 |archive-date=5 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905160139/http://www.archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampdetail.php?mpcode=25 |url-status=dead }} into politics and was elected to Parliament on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from Darbhanga, Bihar. He served his second term in the Lok Sabha representing Darbhanga. He was previously an MLA from Delhi's Gole Market constituency.{{cite web | url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/11/23/stories/2003112304280400.htm | title = A veteran-newcomer fight at Gole Market | work = The Hindu | access-date = 6 March 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050904014658/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/11/23/stories/2003112304280400.htm | archive-date = 4 September 2005 | url-status = usurped }} He won the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from Darbhanga.{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/election-live-2014-march-13/|title = Election LIVE: BJP's third candidate list out, Ram Kripal to contest from Patliputra against Lalu's daughter|date = 14 March 2014}} On 23 December 2015 he was suspended from BJP for openly targeting Union finance minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities and corruption in Delhi's cricket body Delhi and District Cricket Association.{{cite web|title=Kirti Azad Suspended By BJP For Publicly Targeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley |url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp-may-take-action-against-kirti-azad-for-targeting-arun-jaitley-sources-1258122|work=NDTV|access-date=24 December 2015}} Azad joined the Indian National Congress on 18 February 2019.{{cite news | title =Cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad joins Congress | url =https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cricketer-turned-politician-kirti-azad-joins-congress/articleshow/68044490.cms| work = The Times of India| date =18 February 2019| access-date=24 February 2019}}

He fought general election from Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency for 2019 representing Indian National Congress, against BJP candidate Pashupati Nath Singh and lost it with a margin of 4.8 lakhs. In November 2021, Azad joined the All India Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election and said that he will work under Mamata Banerjee till retirement from politics.{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kirti-azad-trinamool-congress-7636867/ | title=Congress leader Kirti Azad joins TMC; says will work under Mamata Banerjee till retirement from politics | date=23 November 2021 }} Since 5 March 2022, he has also been the State In-charge of the All India Trinamool Congress in Goa, succeeding Mahua Moitra. Azad won the 2024 Lok Sabha Election from the Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency in West Bengal.{{Cite news |title=Kirti Azad won Lok Sabha Election 2024 from Burdwan-Durgapur seat. |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/election/lok-sabha-elections/kirti-azad-burdwan-durgapur-seat-result-2024-snk |access-date=17 June 2024 |work=Prabhat Khabar}}

Personal life

Azad was married to Poonam, who was a politician and a member of Aam Aadmi Party, and later Indian National Congress. Poonam died on 2 September 2024. They had two sons, Suryavardan and Somyavardhan.{{cite web | url = https://archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampdetail.php?mpcode=25 | title = Detailed Profile: Shri Kirti (Jha) Azad | publisher=National Portal of India | access-date = 7 January 2020 | archive-date = 5 September 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160905160139/http://www.archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampdetail.php?mpcode=25 | url-status = dead }} His elder son Suryavardhan has played for Delhi Under-17s, Under-19s and Under-22s, while his younger son Somyavardhan has played for Delhi Under-15s and Delhi Under-17s.{{cite web | url = http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/182/182860/182860.html | title = Surya Azad | publisher=CricketArchive | access-date = 6 March 2011}}{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/254/254666/254666.html | title = Somyavardhan Azad | publisher=CricketArchive | access-date = 3 September 2012}}{{cite web | url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/1983-world-cup-winner-and-tmc-mp-kirti-azads-wife-passes-away-3173389 | title=1983 World Cup winner and TMC MP Kirti Azad's wife passes away }}

Former IPS officer and ex Information Commissioner Yashovardhan Azad is his elder brother.

Views on IPL

Following a 2012 sting operation on players of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Azad came out in opposition of the tournament and demanded that it be banned.{{cite news|agency=Press Trust of India|title=Kirti Azad begins hunger fast against IPL|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kirti-azad-begins-hunger-fast-against-ipl/259702-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523043722/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kirti-azad-begins-hunger-fast-against-ipl/259702-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2012|access-date=21 May 2012|newspaper=IBNLive|date=20 May 2012}}

Speaking about the Indian T20 team, he reportedly alleged that the players played for self rather than the country. He further said that he felt agitated and ashamed to be associated with the BCCI in the wake of the IPL controversy.

In popular culture

Azad played himself in the lead role of the 2019 Indian film Kirket. The 2021 Indian film 83, which is based on India's World Cup win, featured Dinker Sharma portraying Azad's character.{{Cite news|date=16 January 2020|title=Ranveer Singh introduces Dinker Sharma as Kirti Azad in '83' character poster|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/ranveer-singh-introduces-dinker-sharma-as-kirti-azad-in-83-character-poster-120011600701_1.html|access-date=2021-03-21}}{{Cite web|title=Ranveer Singh introduces Dinker Sharma as Kirti Azad in '83'|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/bollywood/ranveer-singh-introduces-dinker-sharma-as-kirti-azad-in-83|access-date=2021-03-21|website=Free Press Journal|date=16 January 2020}}