Sushil Kumar to Harshvardhan Nawathe: Where are Kaun Banega Crorepati winners now?

Kaun Banega Crorepati is one of India’s most popular quiz game shows, keeping audiences hooked with its intriguing general knowledge questions and nail-biting moments. Over the years, several contestants have made history and taken away massive cash prizes of Rs 5 crore and Rs 7 crore. But what happened to these big winners after their KBC victory? Here’s a look at the contestants who made it into history and what they are doing today.

Harshvardhan Nawathe made history by becoming the first-ever winner of Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. He won the top prize of Rs 1 crore. Before KBC, Nawathe had been preparing to become an IAS officer. After winning the show, Nawathe moved to the UK and later pursued an MBA.

It is reported that Nawathe worked in the corporate sector, including the Mahindra Group, and in the social-impact sector. In December 2024, he was appointed CEO of the JSW Foundation.

Brajesh Dubey won Rs 1 crore in season 2 in November 2005. Before winning, Dubey was working as an electrical engineer and is the son of the late national hockey umpire, KN Dubey. After his win, he has lived a private life, completely away from the media limelight.

The fourth season of the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted show saw its first female winner, Rahat Taslim, who won Rs 1 crore in 2010. Before the show, she was a homemaker from Giridih, Jharkhand, who ran her home by stitching and sewing clothes.

After winning Rs 1 crore, Taslim used the prize money to secure financial independence by opening a garment showroom and boutique in Giridih, Jharkhand, and supporting her children's education.

Sushil Kumar is one of the most talked-about winners of Kaun Banega Crorepati. In 2011, he became the first person to win Rs 5 crore on the game show. Before appearing on the show, Kumar worked as a part-time computer operator and tutor, earning around Rs 6,000 a month.

After his major win, Kumar's life took a downturn as he lacked financial planning, spent heavily on helping relatives, made poor investments, and suffered losses in failed business ventures like a cab service. Years later, he revived his career, studied for the Bihar Public Service Commission exam, and secured a job as a school teacher in East Champaran, Bihar.

Sunmeet Kaur Sawhney was the first woman to win the Rs 5 crore jackpot in season 6 in 2013. Before appearing on the show, Sawhney worked as a private home tutor and homemaker. Following her big win, she now manages restaurant ventures with her husband, actor Manmeet Singh.

Achin Narula and Sarthal Narula became the first and only contestants to win the full Rs. 7 crore jackpot on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) in Season 8. Before this huge win, Achin worked as a marketing manager, and Sarthak was a student. Later, they left their previous jobs and began running their own successful business, a chain of tea cafes in the corporate sector.

In 2019, Babita Tade secured the position and won Rs 1 crore in the quiz game show. She worked as a mid-day meal cook at a government school in Maharashtra's Amravati district and earned Rs 1500 a month. After her win, she later shared plans to use her winnings to build a local Shiva temple (Shivalaya), support her children's education, and help improve facilities at her school.