Indian journalism has been blessed with incredible talents that will never cease experimenting and intellectualising the norms of journalism and media. These Top Indian Journalists have gone a step further in revolutionizing the method of disseminating news and how democracy is practised in India. Be it war reporting, political coverage, business journalism, or even digital journalism, these Indian Journalists have made the Fourth Estate memorable.
12 Top Indian Journalists
1. Shekhar Gupta: The Print Pioneer
Shekhar Gupta is one of the most illustrious personalities in Indian journalism. His over forty years of experience has greatly defined the present form of print and electronic media. Leaving reporters in the 1970s, Gupta’s political reporting and knowledge of policy issues set him apart from the rest. Earlier in his career, while serving as the Editor of the Indian Express, the man helped to turn the newspaper into one of India’s most influential investigative dailies that produced such scoops as the Bofors scandal and the dossier series famously known as the ‘string of pearls’.
Famous Shows:
- Walk the Talk (NDTV 24×7)
- Cut the Clutter (ThePrint)
- National Interest Weekly Column
Employer:
- Founder and Editor-in-Chief, ThePrint
- Former Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express
- Former Editor-in-Chief, India Today
Awards:
- Padma Bhushan (2009)
- G.K. Reddy Award for Journalism
- Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Award
- International Press Institute Award (multiple times)
2. Ravish Kumar: Voice of the Voiceless
Ravish Kumar identified himself as the representative of the people of India, especially the lower class of society and the civilians, and he has gained a reputation as the man with the conscience of Indian television journalism. From being a boy from a village in Bihar to one of the most respected presenters on News Hours, his story reflects the essence of True journalism. In his prime show titled ‘Prime Time,’ Kumar began unique reportage incorporating analytical stories with citizens’ inputs, which could bring topics other channels didn’t to light.
Famous Shows:
- Prime Time
- Ravish Ki Report
- Des Ki Baat
- Hum Log
Employer:
- Former Senior Executive Editor, NDTV India
- Currently independent journalist and YouTuber
Awards:
- Ramon Magsaysay Award (2019)
- Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (twice)
- Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Award
- Kuldip Nayar Journalism Award
3. Anjana Om Kashyap: Breaking the Glass Ceiling
For the past two decades, Anjana Om Kashyap has been the top Indian journalists of the new generation, who is not only challenging the male-dominated journalism industry but also a professional worker. Starting from Doordarshan, she was trained in raw foot journalism before joining the other stations. Yer more recently at Aaj Tak, she has brought in a whole new evening show called “ halla bol’ that involves aggressive journalism along with solid facts.
Famous Shows:
- Halla Bol
- Special Report
- Desh Tak
Employer:
- Managing Editor, Aaj Tak
- Former anchor, News 24
- Former journalist, Zee News
Awards:
- Best Hindi News Anchor awards
- Excellence in Journalism recognition
- Various industry accolades
4. Barkha Dutt: The War Correspondent
Barkha Dutt came as a war journalism revolutionist in India during the Kargil conflict by taking Indian families onto the battlefields with high life-like detail. Her coverage immediately defined new heights of how conflict reporting ought to be done and brought her recognition from the international community. The target audience includes top news channels and companies who prefer live reporting during critical events which include natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and others which she performed best during the 26/11 Mumbai attack. Post the premature exit from NDTV, she started Mojo Story, a truly independent digital media organization covering untold stories from India’s hinterland. India-based journalist and filmmaker who did ground reporting of the pandemic from across the country.
Famous Shows:
- We The People
- The Buck Stops Here
- MoJo Story
Employer:
- Founder, Mojo Story
- Former Group Editor, NDTV
- Former Consulting Editor, NDTV
Awards:
- Padma Shri
- Global Leader for Tomorrow, World Economic Forum
- Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Award
- Multiple Indian Television Academy Awards
5. Rajdeep Sardesai: The Democracy Watchdog
Rajdeep Sardesai’s journalism has spanned from the initial stages of Television news Channels in India to the present Digital journalism. Having begun his career as a print journalist with The Times of India, he pioneered television journalism to make NDTV what it is today – India’s leading news channel. CNN-IBN (now CNN-News18) proved to be one of the major development stories of Indian broadcast journalism, as led by him. Through his hectic election coverage, which started with the Gujarat riots and continued through several general elections, Sardesai has expressed himself in a balanced manner.
Famous Shows:
- India Today Tonight
- News Today
- Countdown
Employer:
- Consulting Editor, India Today Television
- Former Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN
- Former Editor, NDTV
Awards:
- Padma Shri
- International Broadcasters Award
- Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award
- ENBA Lifetime Achievement Award
6. Rajat Sharma: The People’s Judge
Rajat Sharma’s contribution to top Indian journalists can be still seen on the back of ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ (stdin political interviews’, which is the longest-running television program in the history of Indian television. ”His style of questioning in the format of a courtroom trial has managed to get even the high and mighty of India to reveal some truths, which have been also responsible for some of the chuckles in the history of television. It all began in a conservative Delhi old city and proves how journalism can change the fortune of a person to establish India TV.
Famous Shows:
- Aap Ki Adalat
- Aaj Ki Baat
- Special Report
Employer:
- Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, India TV
- Former Executive Editor, Zee News
- Former Editor, Onlooker Magazine
Awards:
- Padma Bhushan (2015)
- Indian Television Academy Hall of Fame
- Various industry excellence awards
7. Suhasini Haidar: The Global Voice
If one journalist epitomizes India’s diplomatic affairs in the public domain, it is Suhasini Haidar who translates often arcane geopolitical minutiae into popular formats. Her reporting on South Asian politics and world diplomacy has helped the Indian population develop more perspective on international matters. Based in New Delhi, she has been a consistent employee of The Hindu and as the Diplomatic Affairs Editor, she has upheld the good standard of the newspaper’s foreign affairs desk while transitioning to the digital space.
Famous Shows:
- WorldView
- The World Tonight
- Diplomatic Dispatch
Employer:
- Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Hindu
- Former Foreign Affairs Editor, CNN-IBN
- Former Senior Editor, CNN International
Awards:
- Prem Bhatia Award
- Haldighati Award
- Maharana Mewar Foundation Award
- Columbia-DuPont Broadcast Journalism Award (team)
8. Prannoy Roy: The Pioneer
Prannoy Roy is one of the founding fathers who started and professionalized Indian television news which was earlier a government’s monopoly. His academic qualification in economics and statistics gave methodological refinement to the study of election and psephology in Independent India. In another way, he set professional levels in NDTV for which he was a co-founder and those levels changed the whole broadcast sector. His show “The World This Week” kind of familiar Indians with international news coverage with professional production.
Famous Shows:
- The World This Week
- Countdown
- Election Special
Employer:
- Former Executive Co-Chairperson, NDTV
- Co-founder, NDTV
- Former Consultant, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Awards:
- Red Ink Lifetime Achievement Award
- Leverhulme Trust Fellowship
- Queen Mary Prize
- Multiple industry honors
9. Sudhir Chaudhary: The Prime Time Voice
Sudhir Chaudhary is one of the top Indian journalists of Hindi news channels who is quite popular due to his unique style of analysis and reach. His show DNA was the first of its kind that used data and graphics to provide information about various problems to Hindi consumers. Beginning his journey at Zee News he gradually carved his place into one of the most recognized anchors in Indian television. His style of presenting news or engaging with guests is conformational and assertive, at the same time he likes to break down issues with graphical displays.
Famous Shows:
- DNA
- Black & White
- Daily News Analysis
Employer:
- Consulting Editor, Aaj Tak
- Former Editor-in-Chief, Zee News
- Former CEO, Zee News Network
Awards:
- Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism
- Several industry recognitions for news presentation
- Best News Anchor awards
10. Nidhi Razdan: The Academic Journalist
Nidhi Razdan belongs to the generation of journalists who inherited the ethic of old-school reporting mixed with the daring to transform the appearance of the programs. Thus, during her two decades of work at NDTV, she gained recognition as a competent political journalist. Her show left right & center was a balanced political discussion show at a time when Indian television was moving in the direction of mass polarization. Note her coverage of Kashmir, which, unlike other conflict reporting, was both ground-up and policy-analytical. Her short period in academia brought out the significance of being a journalist.
Famous Shows:
- Left, Right & Centre
- The Big Fight
- India Decides
Employer:
- Former Executive Editor, NDTV
- Former Primary Anchor, NDTV 24×7
- Visiting Faculty, journalism institutions
Awards:
- Ramnath Goenka Award
- Teacher’s Achievement Award
- International Press Institute Award
- Best News Anchor Award
11. Arnab Goswami: The Disruptor
Arnab Goswami has completely changed the face of television news media in India with this high-pitched aggressive anchoring style. When he began at NDTV and later transitioned to Times Now he pioneered a new kind of prime-time news format that was an hour and a half of entertainment anchored on the presentation of ‘shock’ and ‘anger’. His show, ‘The Newshour, ’ translated to become the number one English news show, changing dynamics, and succeeding by being copied across channels. The advent of Republic TV was a new chapter of Indian media startups that tested the traditional competitors in the market through marketing strategies and programming.
Famous Shows:
- The Newshour
- Nation Wants to Know
- Frankly Speaking
Employer:
- Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Republic Media Network
- Former Editor-in-Chief, Times Now
- Former Senior Editor, NDTV
Awards:
- Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism
- Asian Television Award
- Society Young Achievers Award
12. Raj Kamal Jha: The Literary Journalist
Raj Kamal Jha is a personification of old-world print journalism values in the new paradigm of social journalism. He continues the investigative journalism tradition of the newspaper while being responsible for The Indian Express and addressing new media issues. As a result of the novelist’s experience, it is possible to observe the literary character of journalism in the long paper. During his tenure, the Indian Express has covered and featured some major investigative journalism, such as the Panama Papers Scandal in India. Focusing on realistic fact-checking and tending to uphold the newspaper’s strict standards of what can and cannot be printed, he has kept the paper honest in the post-truth age.
Famous Shows:
- Editorial Leadership at The Indian Express
- Various literary works and journalism pieces
Employer:
- Chief Editor, The Indian Express
- Former Editorial Team Member, The Statesman
- Various international publications
Awards:
- Commonwealth Writers Prize
- Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize
- International Press Institute India Award
- Editor of the Year (IAA Awards)
Legacy and Impact
These Top Indian Journalists have not only acted as journalists but also formed opinions and influenced democracy in India. Their work remains a legendary tap for the young generations of journalists who yearn to uphold professionalism in journalism despite the dynamic world of media.
Collectively, these Indian Journalists have gone a step further to improve the face of professional journalism in India. This gives Asch a commitment to truth, investigative reporting, and ethical journalism, which has shaped the setting of standards in the profession.
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Conclusion
Their writings have played a significant role in portraying the status of India as an emergent economy in the post-colonial period. These top Indian Journalists proved valuable in providing the narrative of modern India. The principles of journalism they uphold – integrity, courage, and commitment to truth – are as applicable today as journalism undergoes the changes caused by the digital revolution. These are the true historical chronicles who have recorded the grassroots history and have been instrumental in writing it.
FAQs
1. What are a few Indian journalists named in this article?
This article takes exemplars of some of the famous Journalists today, such as Shekhar Gupta, Ravish Kumar, Anjana Om Kashyap, Barkha Dutt, and Rajdeep Sardesai, among others, that have differentially impacted Indian journalism.
2. What have these top Indian journalists done for journalism?
These journalists have changed reporting direction, coming up with new formats, advocating probe journalism, asking critical social and political questions, and demanding high standards of ethical practice.
3. Why is Ravish Kumar called the ‘Voice of the Voiceless’?
Ravish Kumar is noted for simple acute ground reporting and a social justice perspective in particular overlooked areas of society.
4. In what way has digital innovation affected the working lives of these journalists?
Numerous media personalities in India, including Shekhar Gupta and Barkha Dutt, have moved online with YouTube channels and independent media outlets.
5. Which personal traits can be traced to make these top Indian journalists pioneers in their field?
I encourage people to be brave, honest, and innovative, as well as revolving around the truth, and I wish them to become Indian media pioneers and democracy’s spearheads.
