Background Early life and education
Barkha Dutt was born on December 18, 1971 in New Delhi in a family with a history of journalism.
Her father S.P.Dutt was an employee of Air India and her mother Prabha Dutt was one of the first women journalists of India working for the Hindustan Times.Journalism was a big part of her childhood home and that helped shape her future.She did her English Literature from St.Stephen’s College, Delhi and then a masters in mass communication from Jamia Millia Islamia.Later she studied journalism more at Columbia University in New York.
Starting a Career in Journalism
Dutt began her career with NDTV, and her flair for field reporting soon made her the head of the English news division.
Over more than 20 years with the channel, she became one of India’s most well-known TV anchors and reporters.She later became Group Editor at NDTV before leaving the channel in January 2017.
The Kargil War: A Defining Moment
The 1999 Kargil conflict became a turning point in Dutt’s career.
She reported live from the battlefield of the India-Pakistan war, bringing the harsh reality of war into Indian homes in a way never seen before on TV.Her live interview with Captain Vikram Batra, who was later awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery, is still remembered as one of the most powerful moments of that coverage.The Kargil assignment defined her as a war reporter and opened the door for more coverage of conflicts in the years that followed.
Reporting from the World’s Hotspots
Besides Kargil, Dutt covered some of the most dangerous places on Earth, including Kashmir, Afghanistan during the 2003 US invasion, and later the Arab uprisings in Egypt and Libya.
Shows Hosting Influential
Dutt became well known for hosting popular talk shows including We the People, one of India’s longest-running discussion programs, and The Buck Stops Here.
These shows provided her with a platform to gather newsmakers and the public to discuss a variety of topics from politics to national issues and social debates.
Achievements and Recognition
Throughout her career, Dutt has received over 40 national and international awards.
She is the only Indian journalist ever nominated for an Emmy.She was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for her coverage of the 2004 tsunami.She has also been named a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum and has had fellowships at Brown University and the Asia Society.
Life After NDTV: Mojo Story and Beyond
After leaving NDTV, Dutt started her own digital news platform called Mojo Story, letting her report and comment on news on her own terms.
She also writes as a columnist for the Washington Post and Hindustan Times.She has written books like This Unquiet Land: Stories from India’s Fault Lines and To Hell and Back: Humans of Covid.Her sister, Bahar Dutt, is also a respected environmental journalist, continuing the family’s long tradition of journalism into a third generation.
About the Author
