Rajdeep Sardesai at 60: Celebrating a leading voice in Indian journalism

Today, we celebrate the birthday of Rajdeep Sardesai, a prominent Indian news anchor, author, and journalist who has spent decades shaping the landscape of Indian media with insight, integrity, and impact. Rajdeep today enters his 61st year. In October 2025, he will complete 37 active years in journalism, and he is still going strong.

Born on May 24, 1965, Rajdeep has held several influential roles in Indian journalism. He was the Editor-in-Chief of Global Broadcast News, which included CNN-IBN, IBN7, and IBN-Lokmat, before stepping down in July 2014. Over the years, he has anchored primetime news, led major editorial teams, and interviewed some of the most important voices in India and abroad.

Rajdeep began his broadcast journey after working with print media, including The Times of India, in 1994 as the political editor of New Delhi Television (NDTV). He later served as Managing Editor of NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India, eventually launching his own media company in collaboration with CNN and Raghav Bahl’s TV18, giving birth to CNN-IBN.

An award-winning journalist, he has been recognized with honours such as the Padma Shri (2008) and several accolades for his coverage of the 2002 Gujarat riots, including the International Broadcasters Award and the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Beyond the newsroom, Rajdeep is also a noted author. His books include:

• The Election that Surprised India (2024),
• How Modi Won India (2019),
• Newsman: Tracking India in the Modi Era (2018),
• The Election that Changed India (2014),
• and Democracy’s XI: The Great Indian Cricket Story.

He has also contributed to works like The Truth Hurts, which explored the role of the media in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Sardesai was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to a Goan father and a Gujarati mother. His father, Dilip Sardesai, was a former Indian Test cricketer and his mother, Nandini, is an activist in Mumbai and former head of the Department of Sociology at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. He completed his schooling, up to ICSE, from the Campion School, Mumbai, and did two years of ISC at The Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai. Thereafter, he graduated in economics from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. He then went to University College, Oxford, earning the degrees of Bachelor of Arts in jurisprudence (promoted to Master of Arts by seniority) and Bachelor of Civil Law.

While at Oxford, he made six first-class cricket appearances for Oxford University and one for a combined Oxford and Cambridge side against the 1987 Pakistani touring team. He was awarded a cricket Blue at Oxford.

Journalism Journey

Sardesai worked with The Times of India for six years, after joining it in October 1988, and was the city editor of its Mumbai edition. He entered television journalism in 1994 as political editor of New Delhi Television (NDTV). He was the Managing Editor of both NDTV 24X7 and NDTV India and was responsible for overseeing the news policy for both. He hosted popular shows like The Big Fight at NDTV.

He quit NDTV on April 17, 2005 to start his own company, Global Broadcast News (GBN), in collaboration with the American giant CNN and Raghav Bahl's TV18. The latter broadcasts the Indian Edition (in English) of CNBC called CNBC-TV18, the Hindi consumer channel, CNBC Awaaz and an international channel, SAW. The new channel with Sardesai as the Editor-in-Chief was named CNN-IBN. It went on air on December 17, 2005. Channel 7 has also come under this umbrella after Sardesai's company bought a 46 per cent stake in the channel. Channel 7 was later renamed IBN7.

On May 29, 2014, Reliance Industries Ltd announced it would be acquiring control in Network 18 Media & Investments Ltd, the parent of CNN-IBN, IBN7 and CNBC-TV18. The board of RIL approved funding of up to ₹40 billion (US$470 million) to Independent Media Trust (IMT), of which RIL is the sole beneficiary, for acquisition of control in Network 18 and its subsidiaries. Subsequently, on 1 July 2014, Sardesai, editor-in-chief of CNN-IBN, along with the entire founding team — editorial and managerial — resigned from the Network18 group.

Rajdeep is a consulting editor with the India Today Group and has been anchoring a primetime show on India Today since 2014.

Rajdeep is married to journalist, author and Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ms Sagarika Ghose. Sardesai and Ghose have two children, son Ishan, who is a surgeon, and a medical entrepreneur and daughter Tarini.

As Rajdeep celebrates another year, we honour his contributions to journalism and public discourse in India. His journey is a testament to fearless reporting, storytelling excellence, and a commitment to democratic values and love for news, cricket and food, three passions that all Indians have.