Life after KBC

Remember Harshvardhan Navathe?
The first crorepati thrown up by Star Plus' Kaun Banega Crorepati, Harsh's life changed drastically after he won the crown way back in 2000.

Harsh with Amitabh Bachchan when he won the crore

Rs 10 million may have definitely made a difference to the life of this IAS aspirant, son of a retired deputy commissioner of police in Mumbai; but it also turned his life upside down.

Now, as news of the doubling of the prize money on the show creates ripples of anticipation among aspiring crorepatis, Harsh himself is far away. In Edinburgh, UK, to be precise, completing a one year MBA, specialising in marketing and public relations.

While this may have been a lucky break for the 30 year old, the last four years have scarcely been so. Harsh himself is not in India to corroborate this, but those close to him say that Harsh suffered the after effects of his KBC fame while at college in Symbiosis in Pune. Asked out continuously to preside at several functions within and outside college at the behest of the authorities, Harsh was not able to complete the requisite attendance for his last semester - a fact that almost cost him his last term college, leading to severe depression.

By the time, he recovered, say our sources, he has crossed the age limit for taking the IAS exams, something he had set his heart on doing, and a fact he had openly admitted when he occupied the hot seat on KBC. A job in Mumbai later yielded the same problems that had plagued him when in college. Lady Luck however smiled on him last year when he secured unconditional admission for the Edinburgh University course through visiting faculty and he flew to the UK within the month. A relieved Vandana Navathe, Harsh's mother, says that Harsh is due back in another six months and also plans to get married by Diwali this year.

All's well that ends well, apparently, for this first ever crorepati, spawned by Indian television. As the second season with the Big B comes closer, several more Harsh Navathes could be sharpening their wits for a tryst with Amitabh and the promised moolah. It would do well for them to keep Harsh's story close to their heart when they do so.