1.)Early life and education:
Nafisa Ali was born in Kolkata, India, on January 18, 1957. She was the daughter of Ahmed Ali, a journalist and writer, and Philomena Torresan, a Portuguese-Italian woman. Ali attended Loreto House in Kolkata and Sophia College in Mumbai, where she studied English literature.
2.)Swimming and beauty pageants:
In addition to her studies, Ali was also an accomplished swimmer. She was the national swimming champion from 1972 to 1974. In 1976, she won the Femina Miss India title and represented India at the Miss International pageant, where she was declared the 2nd runner-up.
3.)Acting career:
After her success in beauty pageants, Ali began her acting career in Hindi films. She made her debut in the 1977 film "Dharam Veer". She went on to star in films such as "Junoon" (1978), "Mr. India" (1987), and "Lagaan" (2001). Ali has also appeared in television shows and stage productions.
4.)Social activism:
In addition to her acting career, Ali is also a social activist. She is the founder of the Nafisa Ali Foundation, which works to promote education and health care for women and children. She is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Wildlife Fund.
5.)Political career:
In 2004, Ali contested the Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully from South Kolkata. In 2009, she contested the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow on the Samajwadi Party ticket after Sanjay Dutt's disqualification by the Supreme court on the basis of a prior conviction. She then rejoined the Indian National Congress party in November 2009 and said she is returning to Congress for life. However, she joined the All India Trinamool Congress in October 2021 ahead of the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election.
6.)Personal life:
Nafisa Ali is married to Ravinder Singh Sodhi, a businessman. They have three children together: Pia, Armana, and Ajit.
