Farmer Wins Rs 50 Lakh On KBC. He Had Been Preparing Since 2018

A farmer from Maharashtra who lost his crops to floods has found a new beginning on Amitabh Bachchan's quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).

Kailash Kuntewar, a small farmer from Paithan town of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, won Rs 50 lakh on the popular television show after correctly answering 14 questions.

Kuntewar owns just two acres of land and lives with his parents, wife, and children. Over the years, he has faced setbacks, drought, floods, and crop failure, often forcing him to work as a labourer in other people's fields. But through those difficult years, one dream kept him going, to make it to the KBC stage.

"The joy of winning Rs 50 lakh is beyond words," Kuntewar told NDTV. "For people like us, even hearing about such an amount feels unbelievable."

He recalled how his journey to KBC began years ago.

His journey began in 2015 when he bought his first mobile phone. "I was good at studies since childhood and had a habit of remembering everything I read or heard," he said. "In 2015, I bought a mobile phone and started watching KBC episodes on YouTube. At first, I thought this was just for entertainment. I didn't think anyone could earn money by answering questions."

That changed in 2018 when Kuntewar saw a contestant from Hingoli district on the show. He said, "I searched for him on Facebook, found his number, and spoke to him. He told me it's all real, that you can actually get money if you have knowledge."

Since then, Kuntewar devoted himself to learning. "Even after long hours of farm labour, I would return home and spend at least an hour watching general knowledge shows on YouTube. I made this a habit," he said. "Over time, that practice helped me reach where I am today."

After seven years of dedication, his efforts finally paid off this year when he reached the KBC hot seat and won Rs 50 lakh.

Asked what he plans to do with the prize money, Kuntewar said, "We'll think calmly before deciding anything. Our children's education will always be the top priority. Once that's secure, we'll see what else we can do."

Kuntewar earns around Rs 3,000 a month. A cricket fan, he dreams of turning his two sons into cricketers. 

Kuntewar made it through 14 questions correctly, securing Rs 50 lakhs. Everything seemed smooth until the 15th question popped up for the Rs 1 crore. Kuntewar used the "Video Call a Friend" lifeline first. Even then, the participant was not confident about the answer. So, he tried the 50-50 lifeline next. Still unsure, he made the call to quit. By doing that, he walked away with Rs 50 lakhs from KBC 17.