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Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 14, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1954

Age69 Years (as of 2023)

ProfessionJournalist, Newsreader

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpousePawan Maheshwari

FamilyTwo sons: Kavish Maheshwari and Himanshu Maheshwari; three sisters

Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) Biography

Sarla Maheshwari is an Indian journalist and former Doordarshan newsreader known for her distinctive anchoring style and for presenting the first colour TV

Early life and background

Sarla Maheshwari was born in 1954 and grew up in Delhi. She completed her BA, MA and PhD in Hindi from Delhi University. While pursuing advanced studies she balanced academic life with an interest in broadcasting and began auditioning for television work in the mid-1970s.

Career

Maheshwari’s broadcasting career began in 1976 when she auditioned for Doordarshan while working on her PhD. Her early tasks included writing scripts for children’s programmes and serving as an announcer. She continued to teach at Delhi University, attending to academic duties in the morning and television work in the evenings.

In 1982 she moved into newsreading at Doordarshan. During her tenure she experienced the country’s shift from black-and-white to colour television and is credited with anchoring the first colour telecast of the Asiad in India. Maheshwari’s clear delivery and on-screen simplicity made her a familiar face to viewers; she became particularly associated with her Gujarati sarees and a steady, composed presence in the studio.

After marrying in 1984, she left Doordarshan and relocated to England with her husband, where she worked for BBC England. She resigned from BBC England in October 1986 and returned to India, rejoining Doordarshan as a news anchor in 1988. She subsequently resigned from Doordarshan in 2005.

During her career Maheshwari covered several major national events. Notably, in May 1991 she announced the death of Rajiv Gandhi to the nation on Doordarshan. She also reported on the final rites of Mother Teresa in 1997 before deciding to prioritize family responsibilities over frequent travel for field reporting. Her career included periods of personal risk: she received death threats from militants during the time of militancy in Punjab because of her role in telecasting news.

Public profile

Maheshwari is remembered as one of Doordarshan’s notable newsreaders alongside contemporaries such as Salma Sultan, Minu Talwar, Sheila Chaman and Shammi Narang. Colleagues and audiences recognized her for a restrained, authoritative reading style and for bringing a relatable simplicity to national news broadcasts. She has attributed much of her professional discipline and growth to the critical support of her father.

Personal life

Sarla Maheshwari married Pawan Maheshwari, a gastroenterologist, in 1984. The couple met in 1983 at a friend’s gathering. They have two sons: Kavish Maheshwari, who is a plastic surgeon, and Himanshu Maheshwari. Sarla has three sisters. She lists cooking as a personal hobby.

Latest updates

After a long career in broadcasting, Maheshwari formally left Doordarshan in 2005. Her public recollections include the decision, after covering Mother Teresa’s last rites in West Bengal in 1997, to scale back travel and focus on her children and family life. Her professional history includes stints with both Doordarshan and BBC England and a notable role in India’s transition to colour television.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Newsreader at Doordarshan

Returned as a Doordarshan news anchor in 1988 and continued until resigning in 2005.

1988–2005
Newsreader / Broadcaster at BBC England

Worked at BBC England during a period in the mid-1980s after leaving Doordarshan in 1984; resigned in October 1986.

1984–1986
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Doordarshan as an announcer in 1976 while pursuing a PhD
  2. Anchored Doordarshan’s first colour telecast of the Asiad
  3. Announced the death of Rajiv Gandhi to the nation on Doordarshan in May 1991
  4. Worked at BBC England between 1984 and 1986 before returning to Doordarshan
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) born?

Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) was born on 1954.

What is Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) known for?

Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) is known for journalist, Newsreader.

What is Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor)’s marital status?

Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor)'s marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) married to?

Sarla Maheshwari (DD Anchor) is publicly listed as married to Pawan Maheshwari.