Swapan Das Gupta

Swapan Dasgupta is an Indian politician, author, and former journalist associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party from West Bengal.

He has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha and is known for his contributions to political commentary and public discourse in India. His career reflects a transition from journalism and intellectual engagement to active politics.

As of April 2026, he is contesting in the West Bengal Assembly elections from the Rashbehari constituency, continuing his electoral presence in the state.

By Rashmi | Thursday, April 9, 2026, 04:31:45 PM [IST]

Swapan Das Gupta Biography

Swapan Dasgupta was born on October 3, 1955, in Kolkata, West Bengal. He pursued higher education in history and later studied at the University of Oxford, shaping his academic and intellectual background.

He began his professional career as a journalist and columnist, writing for several leading newspapers and gaining recognition for his political analysis and commentary over the years.

Dasgupta became a prominent public intellectual, contributing to debates on national politics, governance, and policy issues, and establishing himself as a well-known voice in Indian media and opinion writing.

He transitioned into active politics when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2016, marking his formal entry into parliamentary politics and aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In 2021, he contested the West Bengal Assembly elections but was unsuccessful. He has since remained active in political discourse and party activities, continuing his engagement with public and political issues. He continues to remain active in West Bengal politics.

As of April 2026, he is contesting in the West Bengal Assembly elections from the Rashbehari constituency, continuing his electoral presence in the state.

Swapan Das Gupta Personal Life

Full Name	Swapan Das Gupta
Date of Birth	03 Oct 1955 (Age 70)
Place of Birth	Kolkata
Party Name	Bharatiya Janta Party
Education	Bachelor of Arts degree in History from St. Stephen's College, Delhi MA and PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London
Profession	Political analyst, Journalist, Columnist
Father's Name	SC Dasgupta
Mother's Name	Rekha Dasgupta
Spouse's Name	Reshmi Dasgupta
Spouse's Profession	Lifestyle Editor at The Economic Times
Children	1 Son(s)

Swapan Das Gupta Net Worth

Net Worth

₹6.35 CRORE

ASSETS

₹6.69 CRORE

Liabilities

₹34.03 LAKHS

Interesting Facts about Swapan Das Gupta

Swapan loves delivering lectures in India and abroad, on topics associating with history, politics, and current affairs. He has also worked as an anchor in various channels such as NDTV, CNN-IBNN, and Times Now. His works include debates on shows relating to India and international affairs.

Political Timeline of Swapan Das Gupta

2026 April: Contesting from the Rashbehari constituency in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.
2026 April: Contesting from Rashbehari constituency in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.
2021: Dasgupta tendered his resignation from the Upper House of Parliament Rajya Sabha on Mar 16. He is contesting the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election from Tarakeswar. Tarakeshwar is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site in Hooghly district and his candidature is significant in the backdrop of the BJP’s Hindutva rhetoric.
2016: In April, 2016, Dasgupta was nominated by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee to the Rajya Sabha. His term would continue till 2022. These appointments have though attracted criticism from other commentators as a reward for political allegiance. He stepped down from Directorship of Larsen and Toubro upon being appointed to the Rajya Sabha.
1979: His father’s death prompted him to return to India and join the Calcutta Chemical Company, which was headed by his father earlier. He lost his interest in business and left India again and chose to work as Junior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford. His excellent work at the college awarded him INLAKS scholarship by the INLAKS-Shivdasani Foundation.
1975: Swapan did his Bachelors of Arts degree from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, specialising in History. He then went abroad to pursue his masters and doctorate degree from School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

Swapan Das Gupta Early Life

2015: Dasgupta was appointed on the Board of Directors of Larsen and Toubro as a nominee of the Unit Trust of India.
2015: For his great work and dedication towards writing and journalism, he was honoured by St. Stephen’s College in 2015 and was enlisted in the most prominent alumni of the institution. He has published his works in The Pioneer, The Telegraph, Dainik Jagran, The Times of India, The New Indian Express, Outlook, The Free Press Journal and several other newspapers and magazines, and is currently a freelance writer for various publications. His journalism interests focus on major political debates, which are emphasized in the electronic media (English). Swapan garnered the attention of public after appearing on NDTV’s weekly segment titled Politically Incorrect with Mani Shankar Aiyar.
1986: Swapan came to India with a mindset of settling his career in journalism, and started his work with an Indian English language broadsheet daily newspaper titled “The Statesman.” He worked at various leading newspapers named The Times of India, The Telegraph, The Indian Express, and India Today.
1979 : His father’s death prompted him to return to India and join the Calcutta Chemical Company, which was headed by his father earlier. He lost his interest in business and left India again and chose to work as Junior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford. His excellent work at the college awarded him INLAKS scholarship by the INLAKS-Shivdasani Foundation.
1975 : Swapan did his Bachelors of Arts degree from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, specialising in History. He then went abroad to pursue his masters and doctorate degree from School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

Swapan Das Gupta Achievements

In 2015, he was honoured with Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award for his incredible contribution to literature and education. In 2019, he published Awakening Bharat Mata: The Political Beliefs of the Indian Right.

Disclaimer:The information provided on this page is sourced from various publicly available platforms including https://en.wikipedia.org/, https://sansad.in/ls, https://sansad.in/rs, https://pib.gov.in/, https://affidavit.eci.gov.in/ and the official websites of state assemblies respectively. While we make every effort to maintain the accuracy, comprehensiveness and timeliness of the information provided, we cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy or reliability of the content. The data presented here has been compiled without consideration of the objectives or opinions of individuals who may access it.