Gul Panag was born Gulkirat Kaur Panag on January 3, 1979. Her father was in the military, and as a result, she grew up attending over 13 schools during her childhood, across India as well as abroad. She completed her undergraduate education in Mathematics in Patiala, Punjab, and got her Master’s degree in Political Science from Chandigarh. In 1999, Panag participated in and won the title of Miss India Universe, as a result of which she competed as India’s official representative in the Miss Universe pageant. Soon after her win, and after completing her studies, she moved on to acting, appearing in a number of television serials including Star Plus’s Kashmeer (2003). This year also marked her debut in the film industry, as she co-starred in the Hindi war film Dhoop (2003).

Panag went on to appear in numerous films over the years, many of which have been socially or politically oriented, such as Dor (2006), Summer 2007 (2008), and Rann (2010). She even won the Zee Cine Critics Award along with Ayesha Takia for Dor (2007). She also worked frequently on television, hosting shows such as the karaoke competition Kisme Kitna Hai Dum, and the travel show Musafir Hoon Yaaron.

Later, Panag co-produced her first film, Sikandar (2013) – which revolves around the theme of corruption and politics – under the banner of Imaginations Entertainment. She recently acted in Ab Tak Chhappan 2 (2015).

She is involved with many social and political causes, including women’s’ rights. She has been a member of the advisory board of the Wockhardt Foundation, and runs an NGO called the Colonel Shamsher Singh Foundation, which takes up numerous issues including gender equality, poverty alleviation, disaster management and relief, and education.

Panag is also a politician, and competed in the 2014 General Elections as a candidate from the Aam Aadmi Party in Chandigarh.

Besides her acting, social and political ventures, Panag is passionate about travelling, and is currently aiming to get her pilot’s license. She is also keen on qualifying in law so as to strengthen her ability to stand up for the causes she believes in.