The News Minute | February 16, 2015 | 03:01 pm IST
Senior journalist Barkha Dutt has stepped down as Group Editor for NDTV, the company with which she has been associated with for two decades, to start a new multi-media content company and public policy centre.
In an email, co-founders of NDTV Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy informed employees that Dutt would be starting her own production house. She will however, continue to host and anchor her shows, and also present and analyze big news stories.
The email says: "Barkha Dutt was only 23 when she joined NDTV as a young reporter cum producer. NDTV was the first place she ever worked in and for two decades we have seen her evolve into one of our most prolific reporters. She has been a key member of the NDTV family and a big part of our memorable journey from a production house that created a nightly news bulletin for doordarshan to what we are today. She has worn many hats for NDTV: journalist, anchor, editor and NDTV has been both her learning ground and her second home."
The Roys also said that Barkha would continue with the group as Consulting Editor. They have added that she will remain as closely associated with NDTV and will anchor Buck Stops Here on weeknights and We The People on weekends.
The email also includes a personal note from the Roys which says that they have literally seen Dutt grow from a child to an adult professional and look forward to continuing their "close bonds".
Dutt joined NDTV when she was 23 years old, and two decades later, is set to start her own multi-media company and policy group while continuing her association with the group in a different manner. Her career spans a wide cross section of reportage, but she became a household name on account of her reporting of the Kargil conflict in 1999. Her work includes politics, elections, defence, gay rights, the Gujarat violence of 2002. She is also known for her work as conflict reporter from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan and Kashmir.
She was the youngest journalist to receive the Padma Shri, and has won many national and international awards for her work as well as her shows We the People and The Buck Stops Here.
Full text of mail sent by Prannoy and Radhika Roy
Barkha Dutt was only 23 when she joined NDTV as a young reporter cum producer. NDTV was the first place she ever worked in and for two decades we have seen her evolve into one of our most prolific reporters. She has been a key member of the NDTV family and a big part of our memorable journey from a production house that created a nightly news bulletin for doordarshan to what we are today. She has worn many hats for NDTV: journalist, anchor, editor and NDTV has been both her learning ground and her second home.
Now twenty years later we wish her all the very best as she embarks on yet another role with us. Barkha will be moving to the role of Consulting Editor. She will remain as closely associated with NDTV as she has all these years as the anchor for Buck Stops Here on weeknights and We The People on weekends. She will also be available as always for analysis and inputs on big news events and stories. While her TV relationship with NDTV remains unchanged, in her new role she will be setting up her own multi media content company and policy group. We have literally seen barkha grow from a child to an adult professional and look forward to our close bonds only strengthening further as she embarks on this new venture.
I know you will join us in wishing Barkha the very very best.
Radhika and Prannoy