IIT Delhi’s Quiz Master Utsab Das from Tripura Wins Rs 25 Lakhs on Kaun Banega Crorepati

Agartala: What happens when a “Quiz Master” from IIT Delhi takes the hot seat on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC)? He dazzles the audience, impresses the veteran actor of Bollywood and KBC host Amitabh Bachchan, and wins a massive Rs 25 lakhs! Utsab Das, a student from Agartala, Tripura, did just that, proving that knowledge, passion, and quick thinking can take you places. His journey from school quiz competitions to one of India’s biggest game shows is nothing short of extraordinary!

Utsab qualified for the hot seat after completing the Fastest Finger First round in just 3.64 seconds. Introducing himself, he said, “I am from Agartala, Tripura and a student of IIT Delhi, studying Mathematics and Computer Science.”

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During the show, he shared an interesting backstory about his IIT journey. “I cleared IIT on my first attempt, and the credit goes to my father, who is an NIT Agartala alumnus. Since my father graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering from NIT, I used to tease him for not qualifying for IIT. One day, he challenged me and said, ‘I couldn’t do it, but if you think you can prove it!’ That challenge pushed me to work hard and secure my seat at IIT.”

While describing his experience as a Bengali student outside Tripura, he remarked, “You can separate a Bengali from Bengal, but you can’t separate Bengal from a Bengali.” Adding humour to the conversation, he spoke about common stereotypes associated with Bengalis, saying, “When I sit down for meals, people think I only eat maach bhaat (fish and rice). When I put on headphones, they assume I always listen to Rabindra Sangeet and in sports, they think I can only play football.”

However, Utsab confidently challenged these misconceptions, stating, “I love to eat chole bhature and golgappa. I am a Bengali of 2025—I love rock and other songs as well. And I can play badminton even better than football.” Addressing another common belief about Bengalis, he added, “People say Bengalis take a nap after lunch, but in IIT, we have classes till 6 PM.”

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When host Amitabh Bachchan asked him about his title as “Quiz Master”, Utsab explained, “The person who hosts quizzes is called a Quiz Master. At IIT Delhi’s famous Rendezvous event, I hosted a quiz for freshers, and since then, I have been known by this title. I have participated in over 100 national, international, and state-level quiz competitions.”

Utsab shared how his passion for quizzes, mathematics, and singing developed. He credited his parents for encouraging him to read general knowledge books. “My father taught me mathematics in an engaging way, and we would often compete against each other in solving problems. When I was in Class 5, a state-level mega quiz competition was announced. My parents registered me, and my mother jokingly said, ‘You never study your academic books, at least read some general knowledge for the competition!’ Until then, I was an average student, but this challenge pushed me to start reading and learning more.”

Despite multiple attempts, Utsab did not qualify in his early years at the state-level mega quiz. However, in Class 9, he cleared the preliminary round, and in Class 12, he participated as a team with his father Swapan Das securing the 4th position. He also became a two-time state-level finalist in the Fit India Quiz, one of India’s biggest quiz competitions, organized by the Union Ministry of Sports.

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As the KBC game progressed, Utsab confidently answered each question, often explaining his reasoning before the host could. He swiftly reached the 11th question, which was related to Tripura’s Reang culture. The question asked, “While performing which dance do women stand on pots while balancing a bottle with a lighted lamp on their heads?” Without hesitation, Utsab answered Hojagiri, demonstrating his deep connection to his roots.

Upon Amitabh Bachchan’s request, Utsab showcased another of his talents—singing. As a Sangeet Visharad in classical music, he beautifully sang Bol Na Halke Halke from the movie Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.

His winning moment came with the 13th question: “Researchers at which of these institutions developed a needle-free shock syringe to inject medicines?” Utsab confidently answered IIT Bombay, securing Rs 25 lakhs. Remarkably, he revealed that he had learned this fact just three days before the show.

Meanwhile, for aspiring candidates who dream of making it to IIT, Utsab shared a valuable piece of advice. “Parents may not always be right. I wanted to study Mathematics or Engineering, but my parents insisted that I become a doctor. Sometimes, you have to follow your own passion.”

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Looking ahead, Utsab now aspires to join the Indian Foreign Service, a goal that reflects his ambition to represent India on a global platform. His journey on KBC 2024 is not just a personal achievement but a moment of pride for Tripura and an inspiration for young minds across the country.