Rajdeep Sardesai is a senior journalist, award-winning author, and a prominent news anchor with over three decades of journalistic experience in print and television. A key architect of Indian news media, he was the founder-editor of the IBN 18 network (including CNN IBN) and previously served as managing editor of the NDTV network. He is currently the Consulting Editor and a lead news anchor for the India Today Group.
Sardesai's influence is rooted in his strategic leadership and editorial excellence. He began his career at The Times of India, quickly rising to City Editor of its Mumbai edition at the age of 26. His award-winning work is extensive, including the prestigious Padma Shri for Journalism in 2008, the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award for 2007, and the Asian Television Award for Best News Presenter in Asia for his coverage of the 2014 general elections.
As an acclaimed author, his books offer deep political analysis, including the national bestseller 2014: The Election that Changed India and 2019: How Modi Won India. His program The Big Fight won the Asian TV award for best talk show twice in a row. This deep engagement with national politics led to his selection as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum in 2000.
A highly sought-after speaker, Sardesai draws on his academic background—an Oxford Blue at cricket who completed his Masters and LLB from Oxford University—to deliver insightful and compelling talks. His presentations, informed by his experience as the former President of the Editors Guild of India, provide audiences with a comprehensive and critical perspective on national politics, the state of the economy, and the far-reaching implications of media on democracy.
