Quick Info→
Age: 47 Years
Wife: Arpitha Simha
Caste: Vokkaliga
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Politician |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters**- 178 cm** in meters**- 1.78 m** in feet & inches**- 5’ 10 ”** |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Politics | |
| Political Party | Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (2014 - Present)  |
| Political Journey | • Elected as MP from Mysore in 2014 • Became President of Yuva Morcha BJP, Karnataka in 2016 • Elected as MP from Mysore in 2019 |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | • In 2011, he received the second highest civilian honour of the Karnataka ‘Rajyotsava Prashasti’ in the category of media conferred upon him by the Karnataka government. He became the youngest journalist to receive the award. • In 2008, he Aryabhata Award for column writing for Bettale Jagattu. |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 21 June 1976 (Monday) |
| Age (as of 2022) | 47 Years |
| Birthplace | Belur town, Hassan district, Karnataka, India |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Signature |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mysuru, Karnataka |
| College/University | Mangalore University, Karnataka |
| Educational Qualification | MA in Journalism and Mass Communication (1999) check sources MyNeta |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Vokkaliga check sources News18 Note: Vokkaliga falls under the category of Other Backward Classes in Karnataka. It is an influential caste like the Lingayats in the state, which form 16 percent of its population. |
| Address | 744, 8th Cross Road, 4th Stage, 1st Phase, Vijayanagar, Mysore-570017, Karnataka, India |
| Controversies | • Booked for Threatening Journalist: In 2015, a complaint was made against Prathap Simha at Kadri police station, accusing him of threatening a journalist named Shreyas H S from Mangaluru and using inappropriate language with him over the phone. A case was registered under IPC Sections 504 and 507. According to Shreyas' complaint, Simha had posted a Facebook comment supporting actor Salman Khan , who had been sentenced to five years in prison in the Hit-and-run Case. Simha's comment stated, “his contribution to the industry and the needy outweighs his unintentional but terrible mistake.” Later, Shreyas published an article titled "Don’t hound him just coz he is Salman Khan, says MP Prathap Simha in FB post." Shreyas then shared a link to the article in a tweet, mentioning Simha's Twitter account. As per the complaint, Simha replied to the tweet by saying, "Idiot, don’t spread falsehood here," and called the journalist to issue threats. In his reaction, Simha denied that he had threatened the journalist and added that calling someone “idiot” did not amount to a threat. check sources The Hindu • Arrested for Defying Prohibitory Orders on Hanuman Jayanti Celebration: In 2015, Simha was taken into police custody for forcefully crossing a police barricade and protesting against the planned police route for the Hanuman Jayanti procession in Hunsur town, located in the Mysuru district. As a result, members of the BJP Yuva Morcha staged protests in various parts of Karnataka. Simha argued that while the district administration didn't impose restrictions on Id Milad celebrations in Hunsur, they imposed limitations on the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Following Simha's arrest, protesters from the BJP Yuva Morcha vandalized two KSRTC buses and threw stones at the police. A video surfaced on the internet showing Simha preparing the BJP Yuva Morcha for the protests, stating that their actions would be evaluated by BJP president Amit Shah based on tear gas usage and baton charges deployed during the demonstrations. Simha was later released on bail. check sources The Times of India check sources News18 • Claiming CM Siddaramaiah was Encouraging “Jihadists” in Karnataka: In 2017, Simha courted controversy with his statement that "Tipu Sultan can be a role model only for Islamists." He accused the Siddaramiah-led government of holding Tipu Jayanti only for vote bank politics to encourage Jihadists in Karnataka. The young MP also claimed that celebrating Tipu Jayanti was like Forest Department celebrating Veerappan Jayanti. He also called Tipu a “coward” who “hid from the British.” check sources India Today • Criticized for Comparing a DU Student to Dawood Ibrahim: In 2017, Simha received criticism for comparing a Delhi University student named Gurmehar Kaur to underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim on Twitter. The tweet came after Gurmehar launched the campaign #studentsagainstabvp in response to the violence that earlier happened at Ramjas College involving the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). In February 2017, the ABVP caused a disturbance at the Ramjas Literary Society event by throwing bricks and chanting slogans against the guest speakers Umar Khalid, allegedly involved in the Jawaharlal Nehru University sedition row, and Shehla Rashid. This incident sparked conflicts between ABVP members and students from DU. check sources Firstpost Simha posted an image on Twitter featuring a picture of Gurmehar Kaur on one side and Dawood Ibrahim on the other. In the image, the Gurmehar held a placard which read, "Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him,” meanwhile, Dawood held a notice which read, "I didn’t kill people in 1993, bombs killed them.”  • Making Defamatory Statements Against Actor Prakash Raj: In November 2017, actor-politician Prakash Raj filed a defamation case against Simha after he did not respond to his legal notice demanding an unconditional public apology. check sources The Hindu Prakash Raj had sued Simha after he retweeted an article with the caption that read, "Being sad due to son’s death, having left your wife and ran behind a dancer, Mr. Raj, do you have any right to say anything to (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Yogi (Adityanath), (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi." Simha had posted the tweet after Prakash Raj criticised PM Narendra Modi for his silence about journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder, who was shot dead on 5 September 2017. Prakash Raj had expressed disappointment over the fact that Modi was following some Twitter users who were celebrating the murder. Following the defamation case, Simha apologised to Prakash Raj via a tweet, which read, "Dear @prakashraaj, I had posted a derogatory article against u n your family on 2 & 3rd October 2017. However I understand these were unwarranted n hurtful. Therefore, I unequivocally withdraw n regret Twitter n FB post.” • Misogynistic Remark Against Geetha Mahadeva Prasad: In 2017, Simha faced extensive backlash for making a disrespectful comment towards Geetha Prasad, the widow of H. S. Mahadeva Prasad. While participating in a political campaign, Simha stated that Geetha Prasad was running in the Gundlupet by-election solely out of a desire for power. He said, "She enjoyed all the powers when her husband was a minister. Soon after performing the final rituals of Mahadev Prasad, Geetha has joined politics in pursuit of power.” Geetha criticised Simha for his remark during an election campaign and said, "MP Pratap Simha has once again proved that BJP has no respect for women by making humiliating comments against me. The MP’s remarks are an insult to women and they will teach the party a lesson in the by-election.” Later, Simha apologised for his misogynistic comments and withdrew his statement. He clarified that his intention was not to hurt anyone's feelings and that he was merely referring to the usual practice of political parties nominating the spouse as a candidate in elections to gain public sympathy when the incumbent MLA passes away. • Criticised for Hate Speech Against Stray Dogs: In February 2023, Pratap Simha faced backlash from animal lovers when he proposed a solution to the problem of stray dog attacks that involved getting rid of them without showing any compassion. He said the stray dog menace could be solved if the media kept silent on the issue instead of reporting it. Speaking to the media, he said, “There is a Supreme Court order that stray dogs cannot be killed. Leaders from our own party create problems when stray dogs are killed. Even the media takes up incidents of attacks on stray dogs. While tigers and elephants have one or two litter, dogs have nearly 10 puppies. They should be eliminated without any compassion.” Simha's statement came after a troubling incident in Telangana, where a pack of dogs attacked a five-year-old child. Infuriated by Simha's statement, members of People For Animals (PFA) wrote a post on Instagram, which read, check sources Pratap Simha – Twitter "BJP MP Prathap Simha @pratapsimha_mp of Mysuru, in a press conference has recommended “killing of all pups as soon as they are born” and further stated that if the press does not expose him, he will do it. He has also attacked citizens that merely perform their constitutional duty of feeding animals. This is disgusting and hate speech, spreading violence for no reason.” • Security Breach in Parliament: On the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament Attack, i.e., on 13 December 2023, the security of Parliament was compromised as Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D breached the Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery, carrying gas canisters.  Upon investigation, it was uncovered that Sagar was issued a visitor pass under Pratap's name. Pratap soon addressed the matter with the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla . According to Pratap, Sagar Sharma's father, a resident of his constituency, had asked a visitor pass to explore the new Parliament building and maintained regular communication with Pratap's office and personal assistant for the same. When issuing such a pass, Parliament members must give an undertaking that they personally know the person, but Pratap claimed he had no additional information beyond what he had already shared with Birla. check sources Mint  |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Arpitha (image in Wife/Spouse section) |
| Marriage Date | 18 November 2010 |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Arpitha Simha (medical officer-turned-homemaker)  |
| Children | Son- None Daughter- Vipanchi Simha (image in Wife/Spouse section) |
| Parents | Father- B. E. Gopal Gowda Mother- Pushpa  |
| Siblings | Brother- Vikram Simha  |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | He has a Hyundai i20. |
| Money Factor | |
| Assets/Properties | Movable Assets • Cash: Rs. 28,000 • Deposits in Banks, Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Financial Companies: Rs. 2,34,325 • LIC or other insurance Policies: Rs. 82,503 • Personal loans/advance given: Rs. 4,27,078 • Motor Vehicles: Rs. 3,25,545 • Laptop: Rs. 34,550 • Double Barrel 12 Bore gun: Rs. 20,000 • N Bore pistol 0.32 caliber CZ: Rs. 30,000 Immovable Assets • Residential Buildings: Rs. 52,05,000 Note: The given estimates of moveable and immovable assets are according to the financial year 2018-19. It does not include the assets owned by his wife and dependents. check sources MyNeta |
| Net Worth (approx.) | Rs. 21,75,220 Note: It does not include the net worth of his wife and dependents. check sources MyNeta |
Pratap Simha is a former Indian journalist, politician, and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has served as the President of Yuva Morcha BJP, Karnataka. He won the Mysore Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka in 2014 and 2019. As a journalist, he has worked for the media houses Vijaya Karnataka and Kannada Prabha.
In 1999, Simha embarked on his journalism career as a trainee at Vijaya Karnataka, a Kannada daily newspaper. Over time, he went on to become the newspaper’s chief editorial writer under the guidance of Vishweshwar Bhat, the editor-in-chief. His column, titled “Bettale Jagattu” (The naked world), strongly promoted the principles of Hindutva ideology and criticized those who opposed it. Subsequently, Simha joined Kannada Prabha, a daily newspaper owned by Rajeev Chandrashekar, who was an independent Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. In April 2014, Simha resigned from Kannada Prabha prior to commencing his electoral campaign.
Simha has penned various books, including two books on Narendra Modi, an unofficial biography titled Narendra Modi: Yarroo Tuliyada Haadi (Narendra Modi: The Untrodden Road) in 2008 and Modi Muslim Virodhiye? (Modi: Is he anti-Muslim?). Other books authored by him include Netaji: Chalo Dilli Endu Hodarelli?, Tipu Sultan: A Freedom Fighter?, and collections of his columns Bettale Jagattu.
Narendra Modi Yarroo Tuliyada Haadi (2008) by Pratap Simha
In 2008, when the BJP held the national executive meeting in Bangalore after winning the Karnataka elections, Simha’s senior Vishweshwar Bhat invited Modi for an interview. Modi agreed and said “Come with Pratap.” Modi had met Pratap before once. However, this time when he met Pratap he hugged him and said,
Aao bhaiyya, kya kamaal kar diya!”
The laudatory lines by Modi were for Pratap’s book Narendra Modi: Yarroo Tuliyada Haadi. Back then, it was the first biography, introducing Modi to Karnataka.
Pratap and Arpitha first met at a function, and soon, they began dating each other. Both families approved, and they became engaged. Unfortunately, on 2 August 2009, Arpitha experienced a severe accident resulting in the loss of her left leg. Following the incident, Arpitha’s father requested Pratap to call off the wedding. However, Pratap stuck to his decision to marry Arpitha, as he already considered her his wife.
A picture of Pratap Simha with his wife, Arpitha Simha, showing her prosthetic leg
In 2012, Simha first came into the limelight when 11 people were arrested by the Bangalore police in an alleged terror plot to attack a set of rightwingers. Reportedly, Simha was one of the main targets of the group. The Bangalore Police took action following information from the Andhra Pradesh counter-intelligence authorities who had been monitoring the mobile phone activities of the conspirators for several weeks. During a press conference, Bangalore Police Commissioner Jyothi Prakash Mirji said that the arrested youth were involved with Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Jehadi-al-Islami (HUJI) operatives in Saudi Arabia in connection with the alleged plot. check sources The Indian Express However, in February 2013, all of the accused were released due to lack of evidence.
Since his formative years, he had an ideological inclination towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Even as a journalist, he was known for publishing pro-right-wing and anti-left-wing articles. His ideologies led him to join BJP in 2014.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pratap Simha
When Simha decided to enter politics, he reached out to Team Modi expressing his interest in securing a ticket to run for the Udupi-Chikamagalur constituency. He emphasized his family’s strong ties to the region, as well as the popularity of his columns in that area. However, due to various factors, including the hesitance of certain influential party members, he ultimately ended up contesting from Mysore.
In 2015, his brother, Vikram Simha, was arrested by Sakleshpur police on charges of gambling.
In June 2015, he was appointed as a member of the Press Council of India.
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In 2012, Pratap Simha was one of the main targets of an alleged terror plot by a group linked to Lashkar-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Jehadi-al-Islami (HUJI) operatives. The plot was foiled by the Bangalore police, who arrested 11 people.
In 2011, he received the Rajyotsava Prashasti, the second highest civilian honor from the Karnataka government, for his work in media. He was the youngest journalist to receive this award.
Pratap Simha authored a biography titled 'Narendra Modi: Yarroo Tuliyada Haadi' in 2008, which was the first to introduce Modi to Karnataka. Modi praised the book, hugging Simha and saying, 'Aao bhaiyya, kya kamaal kar diya!'
Arpitha Simha, Pratap's wife, lost her left leg in an accident in 2009. Despite her father asking him to call off the wedding, Pratap decided to proceed with the marriage, considering her his wife already.
In 2023, a security breach occurred in the Lok Sabha when two individuals, including one with a visitor pass issued under Simha's name, entered the Parliament. He later explained that the pass was for a constituent's son interested in visiting the new building.