Famous Journalists in India - List of Top Journalists in India
The field of journalism is an increasingly popular career path among students in the country. There are several Indian journalists who constantly inspire students to pursue this field. Learn who they are on this page.
Famous Journalists in India
Famous Journalists in India - In the vibrant world of Indian journalism, some famous names have made a lasting impact. These famous journalists have believed in bringing change through their words, actions, and presentation style. Their persona created such an impact that we all got glued to our television sets, newspapers, and magazines to have a detailed insight into how they react to events of national and international importance. In this article, we will learn about these famous journalists in India and will also take a brief look at their journey to success.
Yes, journalists in India are paid very well. Journalism salary in India ranges from INR 3 Lacs to 4 Lacs for an entry-level job after completion of the internship. With experience and skill development the candidate gets into the salary bracket of INR 8-10 Lacs within 4-5 years. Exceptional cases even breach the INR 10 Lacs salary bracket in less time. There are also many perks associated with this salary, hence, it can be said that journalists are paid well in India.
Some of the best books which candidates can refer to while preparing for the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) Entrance Exam preparation are as follows -
Handbook of Mass Communication (Theory and Practice) by VK Joshi
Manorama year book
Success Master: Journalism and Mass Communication Entrance Examination
Popular Master Guide for Journalism and Mass Communication Entrance Examination by R.Gupta
Mass Communication Journalism Entrance Exam of all Indian Universities by Arihant
Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis: General Knowledge
- Famous Journalists in India
- Manjari Joshi
- Rajat Sharma
- Ravish Kumar
- Arnab Goswami
- Barkha Dutt
- Anjana Om Kashyap
- Sudhir Choudhary
- Sweta Singh
- Saurabh Dwivedi
- Madhu Trehan
- Faye D'Souza
- Sudhir Choudhary
- Shiv Aroor
- Prannoy Roy
- Notable Mentions
- How to Become a Journalist in India?
- Salary of Famous Indian Journalists
- Conclusion
Famous Journalists in India
Given below is the list of the most popular journalists in the country.
Manjari Joshi
Manjari Joshi belongs to the golden era of news broadcasts. When Doordarshan was the only platform that we turned to for our news, she was among the first journalists we saw on our television screens. Along with her peers Ved Prakash, Gitanjali Aiyar, and Minu Talwar, she got us all interested in current affairs and news events around the world. Today, she shares her vast experience with budding journalists by working as a guest faculty member in various media institutions.
Rajat Sharma
Another one of the most famous journalists in India is Rajat Sharma. A senior member of the Indian journalism fraternity, he reached the pinnacle of success by becoming a record holder of hosting the longest-running news-talk show “Aap ki Adaalat”. In this TV talk show, Rajat Sharma invites various famous personalities from politics, sports, and the entertainment industry and asks them questions in a courtroom-style environment. His show is very popular even today. Currently, he is the chairman of the news channel India TV and holds good repute.
Ravish Kumar
Hailing from Bihar, Ravish Kumar studied journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Today, he has made a name for himself and is counted as one of the best journalists in India. His ground reporting has been a remarkable part of his professional life. During his career, he has not just addressed the issues of the common man but also of the marginalised sector, be it sweepers, sewer cleaners, etc. He has really come out to be a messiah among the common folk. He has never shied away from voicing his and the citizens' concerns to the people in power. Ravish Kumar is a two-time awardee of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award for the Best Journalist. He was also conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2019. He has resigned from NDTV and currently runs his own YouTube channel.
Arnab Goswami
Arnab Goswami is known for his unique style, which is loud and aggressive on camera. Due to his style of journalism, he is very famous all across India and has gained a loyal follower base who don’t miss his news shows. During his prime at Times Now, Arnab was a force to be reckoned with. He was famous for asking tough questions. He resigned from Times Now to start his own channel, Republic Bharat, which has acquired a sizeable audience in a very short span of time. Today, Arnab stands tall among the list of top journalists in India.
Also Read:
Barkha Dutt
Barkha Dutt is another giant in Indian journalism who has made a whole new generation take an interest in the pressing issues in our society. She rose to fame and became a household name due to her fearless journalism right from ground zero during the Kargil War. Although controversial, her actions were lauded by many as she risked her life while being close to the missiles and covering every action happening in the Kashmir valley. Today, she runs her YouTube channel, and she was once again in the limelight during the COVID-19 lockdown when she covered the plight of the migrant workers and was on the road with her team during the maximum tenure of the lockdown.
Anjana Om Kashyap
Anjana Om Kashyap belongs to Ranchi, Jharkhand. Before making a successful career in journalism, she was planning to study medicine. However, destiny had other plans for her. After a setback in the AIPMT exam, she started taking journalism seriously. After a glorious career in Doordarshan, Zee News, and News 24, she now works with Aaj Tak. She is famous for her wittiness as well as her fierce stand during TV shows. She is often ranked among the famous female journalists in India.
Sudhir Choudhary
Sudhir Choudhary is one of the most famous journalists in India. He garnered national fame after his prime-time show, Daily News & Analysis (DNA) at Zee News, became a household name. He resigned from Zee News during his prime and joined Aaj Tak, where he currently leads the prime-time show on Aaj Tak. He is very popular on social media as well and often shares his views on various events.
Sweta Singh
Just like Anjana Om Kashyap, Sweta is a household name and ranks among the most famous female journalists in India. Sweta currently works as a news anchor with Aaj Tak, but before switching to TV, she worked in print media for The Times of India and Hindustan Times for their Patna edition.
Saurabh Dwivedi
Unlike all the journalists mentioned here, Saurabh Dwivedi made his way to stardom through digital media. He was the founder of The Lallantop, which was a Hindi news portal prior to getting acquired by the India Today Group. Today, the Lallantop has a strong follower base due to its YouTube channel, App, and portal itself. Saurabh brings the true aura of old-school journalism coupled with technology, witty language, and a unique presentation style to make it a compelling watch. Saurabh Dwivedi ranks among the most famous journalists in India.
Also Read:
Explore more Mass Communication & Media exams with upcoming dates
31 Oct '25
1 Mar '26 - 31 Mar '26
1 Mar '26 - 31 Mar '26
1 Jun '26 - 30 Jun '26
Madhu Trehan
Madhu Trehan is the sister of media baron Arun Poorie, who heads the India Today Group. After completing her education abroad, she returned to India in 1975 and co-founded the famous magazine India Today with her father, V.V. Poorie, who owned the Thomson Press. Apart from this, she produced and anchored Newstrack, which was India's first video news magazine, and pioneered investigative journalism. She was also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of a digital media portal called Newslaundry, which was India's first subscription-driven website upon launch.
Faye D'Souza
In recent times, Faye has risen to fame with her fearless journalism, especially in the post-COVID era. She reports on subjects of corruption, communal violence, and the independent press. Born in Mangalore, Karnataka, she began her career with All India Radio and worked through major media houses such as the Mirror Now and the CNBC TV 18. She currently produces short videos on current news and has been vocal against illegal mining in Goa.
Sudhir Choudhary
A household name today, Sudhir Choudhary became famous during his tenure with Zee News due to his pro-government journalism, although he was often criticised for his biased stand. Sudhir also gained popularity for the same. Currently, he is associated with the Aaj Tak group, where he anchors the show DNA - (Daily News Analysis).
Shiv Aroor
Unlike the rest of the journos in the list above who cover politics and current affairs, Shiv Aroor takes a different path and is a defence correspondent, having done conflict reporting from defence zones such as Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Libya. A Delhi University alumnus, Shiv even runs a website and has authored a famous book on India's Most Fearless along with Rahul Singh.
Prannoy Roy
After his prediction of a couple of election wins, Prannoy Roy's name became well-recognised. With many academic achievements under his belt, he is known as a successful journalist, economist, psephologist, and author. Roy has shown keen interest in voting and election results since a very early age. He has formerly been the executive co-chairperson at NDTV along with his wife Radhika Roy, also a journalist. He is the great-grandson of suffragist and social reformer Lolita Roy and a cousin to famous author Arundhati Roy. He has produced three books in collaboration with Oxford Political Scientist David Butler and Indian Economist Ashok Lahiri. This feat gave him further recognition, and he became an election analyst for India Today Magazine.
Notable Mentions
Apart from these eminent media personalities, there are many more famous journalists in India such as Punya Prasoon Vajpayee, Rajdeep Sardesai, Shekhar Gupta, Rahul Kanwal, Prabu Chawla, Sucheta Dalal, etc., who have successfully taken forward the baton of true and fierce journalism and will be leading the way for young journalists to make a glorious career in mass communication.
Candidates can refer to the books like Jamia Millia Islamia Journalism and Mass Communication Entrance Examination by Arihant Publication, Popular Master Guide for Journalism and Mass Communication Entrance Exam by R. Gupta, Mass Communication in India by Keval J, Manorama Yearbook by Philips Mathew etc. For other courses, candidates can refer to books such as R Gupta's JMI MA (English) Entrance Exam Guide, JMI University Entrance Exam Test Series, BEd Entrance Guide: Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Millia Islamia: MBA Entrance Exam Guide etc. In these books, you can refer to the previous years' questions so you can get an idea of the questions and the type of questions that are repeated.
How to Become a Journalist in India?
Apart from the important and basic skills, one can make a career as a journalist in India by following these steps:
- Get a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication in any specialization.
- Take internship opportunities to gain experience and practical knowledge of the theoretical concepts.
- Take Diploma, Certificate, or PG courses for advanced knowledge and to build a strong resume.
- Make a portfolio. Present your work through blogs, freelance writing, or video reporting.
- Stay updated on the current events around the world.
- Keep your facts and knowledge straight and work on your skills.
- Build networks to secure a good job.
- Always learn new software and technologies to increase your chances of getting a job.
Salary of Famous Indian Journalists
Explore popular M.J. colleges for you
Based on ,M.J.
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
The salary of a journalist in India depends on various factors. Check out the table below to know the average salary of some of the above-mentioned famous journalists in India:
| Famous Journalists |
Average Annual Salary (INR) |
|---|---|
| Ravish Kumar |
4 Crore |
| Arnab Goswami |
12 Crore |
| Rajat Sharma |
5 Crore |
| Anjana Om Kashyap |
4 Crore |
| Sudhir Chaudhary |
4 Crore |
| Sweta Singh |
3 Crore |
| Barkha Dutt |
2.64 Crore |
| Pranoy Roy |
7.8 Crore |
| Rajdeep Sardesai |
5 Crore |
Disclaimer - The numbers mentioned in the above table are estimates gathered by salary aggregators. The actual numbers can vary. This is just to give an idea to candidates about the salary of journalists.
Conclusion
Each of these famous journalists has a unique style up their sleeve; some are fierce, a few of them are true to the core, some of them have good command over the subject matter, and some have great charisma and presentation skills. Students planning to make a career in journalism and mass communication can get inspired by them in one way or another to make a successful career in journalism.
Read More:
The salary of a journalist depends upon which position they have been selected for. At first, fresh mass communication graduates/post graduates are hired as interns and allocated to various departments as per their interests and the organization's requirements in the Input and Output division, anchors, producers, reporters, guest coordinators, research departments, etc.
For an entry-level journalist job in India, post successful completion of their internship period, the salary can range between INR 3 Lacs to 4 lakh. As the journalist gains experience the salary sees a rise along with various other perks.