Sarla Maheshwari: Indian television journalism Senior news reader Sarla Maheshwari, who was the identity of the golden era of , died on 12 February 2026 at the age of 71. Confirmation of his death Doordarshan took to his official
Strong identity of Indian TV journalism
I feel utmost grief in announcing the sad demise of my ex co-News anchor at Doordarshan, Sarala Maheshwari 🙏
She was the embodiment of grace and courtesy.
Beautiful not just in appearance but even more so at heart, she had a remarkable command over language and was a reservoir… pic.twitter.com/VIX8khALBC— Shammi Narang (@iamshamminarang) February 12, 2026
Sarala Maheshwari was one of the few leading news readers who maintained her identity from the early days of Doordarshan till the modern broadcasting era. She joined Doordarshan in the year 1976 and was associated with the organization for almost three decades, till 2005. The softness of his voice and pure Hindi pronunciation made him popular in every household. In an era when television was limited, people especially took out time to watch news bulletins and Sarla Maheshwari was among the faces on whom the audience had unwavering trust. Along with contemporary newsreaders like Salma Sultan and Neeti Ravindran, she became a cultural icon of Indian television in the 80s–90s. He closely observed the entire technological transition from black and white broadcasting to color TV and played an active role in it.
Indian voice reached BBC
During her career she also reached the international stage. Between 1984 and 1986, she went to Britain and read news for the BBC. After this, she returned to India in 1988 and again joined Doordarshan. One incident of his professional commitment is often remembered. Even when a lizard entered the studio during the live bulletin, he continued reading the news with complete calmness and poise without any panic. This incident is considered an example of his amazing concentration and professionalism.
Higher education and academic background
Sarla Maheshwari was a great TV personality as well as a scholar. He received his doctorate degree from Delhi University. The special thing is that when she auditioned for news anchor, she was studying for her PhD. Along with broadcasting, he also taught as a lecturer at Hansraj College, Delhi University. His strong hold and deep understanding of the language was the reason why his pronunciation was considered standard for a long time.
simple personal life
His personal life was as restrained and balanced as his on-screen persona. She was the mother of a son and a daughter. After the birth of her son, she took a break from journalism for some time, but soon returned to TV news. While at the peak of his popularity, he received many offers for films and advertisements, but he did not accept them, giving priority to journalism and education. Even after retirement, he did not distance himself from the media world. He founded a career advice company called Career Smart and a film production company called Insight Production.
Doordarshan paid tribute
Heartfelt tribute to Mrs. Sarla Maheshwari from Doordarshan family. She was a respected and prestigious news reader of Doordarshan, who created a special place in the Indian news world with her gentle voice, precise pronunciation and dignified presentation. His simplicity, restraint and personality impressed the audience… pic.twitter.com/Hx8glZI7rk
— Doordarshan National Doordarshan National (@DDNational) February 12, 2026
Doordarshan wrote in its message: “On behalf of the Doordarshan family, a heartfelt tribute to Smt. Sarla Maheshwari. She was a respected and distinguished newsreader of Doordarshan, who created a special place in the Indian news world with her gentle voice, precise diction and dignified presentation. Her simplicity, restraint and personality established deep trust in the minds of the viewers.
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