Barkha Dutt steps down as group editor of NDTV

Barkha Dutt is stepping down as NDTV’s group editor and moving into a consulting role. Dutt joined NDTV 20 years ago. She is known for her Kargil War reporting. She has been an anchor. Dutt will be setting up a multimedia content company and policy group.

NDTV’s co-founder and executive co-chairperson, Prannoy Roy, said, “Barkha will remain as closely associated with NDTV as she has all these years as the anchor for the 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.”

Dutt started off at NDTV as a reporter cumproducer and went on to don many hats for the network including journalist,editor and anchor. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2008 by the Indian governmentand her talk show has won Indian Television Academy award for Best Talk Showfor five years in a row. She was also named TV Personality of the Year in 2009by the Association for International Broadcasting.

While she has won awards and accolades duringher 20 year stint at NDTV, Dutt has also been criticised by factions of thesociety for her coverage of the 2002 Godhra riots and the 26/11 Mumbai siege. Hername was also mentioned in the Niira Radia tapes controversy. Dutt hasmaintained that she has not indulged in any wrong doing in the matter..