dsja jury member

Rajdeep Sardesai

India Today

Impactful journalism, journalism of courage is the need of the hour. Journalism of empathy, where you are able to tell the stories of those who won't be in the arc lights. The poor, the marginalized, the disempowered, those who suffer injustice in this country. Their stories need to be told. And which is why I am honored to be part of a jury to decide on the awards that are being instituted in the name of Danish Siddiqui, a photojournalist who in the truest sense of the words represented the best values of journalism. Danish, with his ground reporting, with his photography, stood for courage. He stood for truth. He stood for empathy. And those are the values that we want to celebrate through this Danish Siddiqui Journalism Award. It's Danish's legacy as a photojournalist who tragically passed away while in the line of duty that we want to honor and recognize. So I would encourage all the young journalists out there, young and old, to celebrate Danish Siddiqui's legacy. By doing the kind of meaningful, impactful work that we would like to honor and recognize. Thank you very much.

Rajdeep Sardesai is a distinguished senior journalist, author, columnist, and news presenter with over 35 years of experience in print and television news. He is currently a consulting editor with the India Today Group and anchors a prime-time show on India Today. Sardesai began his career with The Times of India in 1988, where he served as the city editor of its Mumbai edition. He transitioned to television journalism in 1994, joining NDTV as Political Editor.
Sardesai was the founder and editor of the IBN 18 Network, which includes CNN-IBN, IBN 7, and IBN Lokmat. His leadership and vision were instrumental in shaping these channels into respected news platforms. He has covered major national and international stories, specializing in national politics. His coverage of significant events, such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2014 Indian General Elections, has been widely recognized.
Sardesai has authored several best-selling books, including “2014: The Election that Changed India” and “Democracy’s Eleven: The Great Story of Indian Cricket,” which MCC Lords shortlisted as the year’s cricket book. His latest book, “2024: The Election That Surprised India,” offers a detailed analysis of the 2024 Indian General Elections.
Throughout his career, Sardesai has received numerous accolades for his journalistic excellence. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2008, the International Broadcasters Award for coverage of the 2002 Gujarat riots, and the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007. He has also been recognized as News Anchor of the Year at the Indian Television Academy multiple times.
Rajdeep Sardesai holds a Master’s degree in Politics and a Bachelor of Law from Oxford University. He is known for his balanced and objective reporting, which has earned him a reputation as a credible and respected figure in the media industry.