Do you know why Rajdeep Sardesai, the famous Indian Journalist, news presenter, political analyst, talks passionately about cricket? There is no prize for guessing. Cricket runs in his blood, as he happens to be the son of the famous cricketer Dilip Sardesai.
Very few people know that he had played Country Cricket in England during the time when he was studying in University College at Oxford. He had played seven county matches in 1987 representing his team Oxford University Cricket Club.
But the destiny had some other plans for him. Cricket, films and politics ceased to be the only areas which could make you a celebrity. You could become a household name by talking brilliantly about politics, cricket and films. Very few people have been able to do it better than him.
Times of India had offered him the first job. Rajdeep Sardesai had worked for the Times group for six years and was the city editor of its Mumbai edition. He started his career in journalism at a time when ‘Journalism was not as glamorous as it is today. Electronic media was yet to make its debut in India.
In 1994, when he decided to make a switch from print to television journalism, he chose New Delhi Television as his new employer. At NDTV, he started as the Political Editor. When he decided to quit NDTV in 2005, he was the managing editor of the channel. NDTV’s popular weekly show The Big Fight had made him a household name.
In 2005, he started Global Broadcast News in association with American media giant CNN and Raghav Bahl’s TV 18. Rajdeep Sardesai was editor-in-chief of IBN18 network of channels, which owns CNN-IBN, IBN-7 and IBN-Lokmat. He resigned from IBN18 in July 2014.
Rajdeep Sardesai has joined the India Today group as Consulting Editor on 15th September 2014. He wrote in a blog post, “Now, I embark on another exciting chapter as Consulting Editor with India’s largest TV news network, the TV Today group, from the 15th of September. I grew up in the age of India Today, so to now be part of this journalistic-driven institution is a privilege.”
During his illustrious career, spanning over more than 20 years, he has covered major national and international stories. His high point in career came in 2002, when he got critical acclamation and awards for his courageous coverage of Gujarat riot.
Many people often accuse him of focusing only on Gujarat riots, while overlooking other communal riots, notably, 1984-ant-Sikh riots. Little do they know that the man himself belongs to Gujarat.
Rajdeep Sardesai was born on May 25, 1965. His father was Dilip Sardesai, the famous Indian Test Cricketer. Renowned sociologist and the former member of the Censor Board of Film Certification, Prof. Nandini Sardesai is his mother. He is married to Sagarika Ghose, a journalist and fellow senior editor and anchor at CNN-IBN, since 1994.
Awards
- 2002: The International Broadcasters Award for coverage of the 2002 Gujarat riots
- 2003: Jasarat Award for covering Gujarat riots by the Urdu Press Club
- 2007: Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award
- 2008: Padma Shri for journalism
- 2010: Inducted into the Hall of Fame by ENBA
- 2013: ENBA Awards for the Best Editor-In-Chief (English)
