Derek O'Brien (quizmaster)

Derek O'Brien
Born	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Scottish Church College
Known for	Quizmaster
Political party	All India Trinamool Congress
Website
derek.co.in

Derek O'Brien is an Indian television personality and Member of Parliament. He hosts one of the longest-running game show on Indian television, Bournvita Quiz Contest.

Early life and career

O'Brien was born in Kolkata, India to an Anglo-Indian family. He went to St. Xavier's Collegiate School in the city and St. Columba's School in Delhi, India. After two years in 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.^[1][2] His father Neil O' Brien is considered the pioneer of quizzing in India.^[3][4][5]

Career

Today, he is the host of the longest running knowledge game show on television, the Bournvita Quiz Contest.^[6] He won the award for Best Anchor of a Game/Quiz Show at the Hero Honda Indian Television Academy Awards in 2003.^[7] 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 authored several books published by Penguin Book India, as well as editing the Penguin India Reference Yearbook and the Bournvita Book of Knowledge.^[8]

He has his firm Derek O'Brien & Associates, help make "knowledge interesting", in their own words. They flaunt clients from some of the premier names like Cadbury India, Coca-Cola India, The Economic Times, The Times of India, Idea Cellular, Max New York Life, NTPC, Pearson Longman, Penguin Books India.

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

In 2008, he filmed a new quiz series in Pakistan called Mind Grind.^[9]

Political Career

In 2004, he joined the All India Trinamool Congress, a party in West Bengal,India.^[10] He is currently the vice-president of All India Trinamool Congress ^[11] In 2009 he was made the head of the Passenger Services Committee of the Indian Railways, under Railway and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.^[12]

In July 2011, he was nominated for one of six seats in the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal by the Trinamool Congress.^[13] He was sworn in as Member of Parliament on August 19, 2011.^[14]

Personal life

He has two younger brothers, Andy O'Brien, who lives in Perth and Barry O'Brien who lives in Kolkata. Derek has a daughter, Aanya, who is 15. Derek is married to Dr. Tonuca Basu, MD who lives in Brooklyn, New York. O'Brien is the CEO of Derek O'Brien & Associates. The organisation is based in Kolkata.

References

1. ^ Dad's hobby is my profession: Derek O'Brien, The Times of India, 26 October 2002.
2. ^ Chowdhury, Souvik: Pepping up quiz, Metro Plus Hyderabad, September 24, 2003.
3. ^ Boy oh boy! It's an O'Brien!
4. ^ Dad's hobby is my profession: Derek O’ Brien
5. ^ [1]
6. ^ Radhakrishnan, Sankar: What makes Bournvita quiz tick again?, The Hindu BusinessLine, May 9, 2002.
7. ^ The Hero Honda Indian Television Academy Awards, 2003, Indian Television Academy, 2003.
8. ^ Author Lounge - Derek O'Brien, Penguin Books India.
9. ^ Derek O'Brien to quiz Pak children, NDTV, April 12, 2008.
10. ^ Derek O’Brien: From quizmaster to politician, ExpressIndia.com, June 3, 2005.
11. ^ Trinamool Congress: Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia to give Mamata Banerjee campaign tech edge, Economic Times, March 14, 2011.
12. ^ Derek O'Brien gets a new role in Railways
13. ^ Four TMC candidates file papers for RS seats, Business Standard, July 12, 2011.
14. ^ Yechury, Ahmed Patel take oath in Rajya Sabha

External links

• Derek O'Brien & Associates Pvt. Ltd. (O'Brien's production company)

Persondata
Name	Obrien, Derek
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Place of birth	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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