M. J. Akbar is a leading Indian journalist, critically acclaimed author, and former high-profile newspaper editor whose career spans more than four decades in Indian media and public affairs. His work is foundational to modern Indian journalism, having launched what is widely considered India’s first modern newspaper, The Telegraph, and establishing India's first daily with an international edition, The Asian Age.
Akbar began his career in 1971 at The Times of India before moving to The Illustrated Weekly of India. His tenure as editor of Sunday, India’s first genuine political weekly, set the stage for his pioneering work. In 1982, he launched The Telegraph, which had a major impact on newspaper journalism in the country. He later launched The Asian Age, which grew to become a publishing partner of The New York Times, underscoring his influence in global media presence.
A critically acclaimed author, his first book, India: The Siege Within, Challenges to a Nation’s Unity, had a deep impact on India’s policy in Punjab and Kashmir. His novel, Blood Brothers, is a skilfully crafted family saga focused on changing Hindu-Muslim relations. His latest book, Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan, explores themes of identity crisis and class struggle in Pakistan, demonstrating his incisive commentary on South Asian geopolitics. In 2010, he launched The Sunday Guardian, Delhi’s first and only Sunday newspaper, and was Editorial Director of India Today and Headlines Today until 2012. As a speaker, M. J. Akbar draws on his profound understanding of political history, media evolution, and the economic challenges facing the Indian subcontinent to provide audiences with crucial, high-level strategic and geopolitical insights.
