Sarla Maheshwari, veteran Doordarshan news anchor, passes away at 71: Broadcaster

Sarla Maheshwari, a veteran Doordarshan news anchor widely remembered for her calm delivery and dignified on-screen presence, has reportedly died on Thursday at the age of 71.

Doordarshan National confirmed her passing in a social media post, calling her a respected and esteemed newsreader who created a special place in the Indian news landscape with her “gentle voice, precise pronunciation, and dignified presentation.”

"A heartfelt tribute from the Doordarshan family to Smt. Sarla Maheshwari. She was a respected and esteemed newsreader of Doordarshan, who carved out a special place in the Indian news world with her gentle voice, precise pronunciation, and dignified presentation. Her simplicity, restraint, and personality established deep trust in the hearts of viewers," Doordarshan National wrote on X.




The broadcaster added that her simplicity, restraint and personality earned deep trust among viewers.

Former Doordarshan colleague Shammi Narang also expressed grief.

“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 of knowledge. Her presence on the Doordarshan screen had a unique aura. She respected everyone and uplifted every space she was part of. I pray that God grants her soul eternal peace and gives strength to the Maheshwari family. Om Shanti," Narang wrote in a post on X.


Maheshwari was among the familiar faces of Doordarshan’s Hindi news bulletins during the 1980s and 1990s, an era when the public broadcaster dominated television news in India.

She served as a DD news anchor from 1976 to 2005 and became known for her calm voice, poised delivery and impeccable Hindi pronunciation.

Beginning her career as an announcer after auditioning while pursuing a PhD at Delhi University, she later transitioned to news reading and witnessed the medium’s evolution from black-and-white to colour television.