Quick Info
| Profession | Journalist |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 29/01/1962 |
| Age | 55 years (died on 05, Sep, 2017) |
| Birthplace | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Date of Death | 05/09/2017 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
Latest News about Gauri Lankesh
04/09/2026
Marking nine years since Gauri Lankesh was killed, commentary and commemorations again focused on the unresolved murder trial and her legacy as an outspoken journalist. Coverage emphasized that the case remains a symbol of the risks faced by critical independent media in India.
10/06/2026
A June 2026 report said Gauri Lankesh murder trial had reached its seventh judge, underscoring persistent delays in the long-running case. The reporting noted that the journalist was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home in 2017 and that the prosecution remains unresolved years later.
04/09/2025
Ahead of the eighth anniversary of Gauri Lankesh’s killing, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Karnataka government to establish a fast-track court for the case. The appeal highlighted that she was killed outside her Bengaluru home in 2017 for her criticism of right-wing extremism and that justice had still not been secured.
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Bio/Wiki
| Indian activist and journalist from Bangalore, Karnataka who worked as an editor in Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada weekly started by her father P. Lankesh, and ran her own weekly called Gauri Lankesh Patrike. She was known for advocating freedom of the press and was a fierce critic of right-wing Hindutva politics. | |
| She was honoured with the Anna Politkovskaya Award for speaking against right-wing Hindu extremism, campaigning for women's rights, and opposing caste-based discrimination. |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 153 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 50 kg |
| Eye Color | Light Brown |
| Hair Color | White |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College | Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi |
|---|---|
| Eduacational Qualifications | Graduate |
Personal Life
| Place of Death | Outside her residence in Ideal Homes colony, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru |
|---|---|
| Age (at the time of death) | 55 Years |
| Death Cause | Murder (Shot in the head and chest by armed assailants on a motorbike) |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Aquarius |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Divorcee |
|---|---|
| Husband/Spouse | Chidanand Rajghatta (Ex-husband - Columnist) |
Family
| Father | Late Paalyada Lankesh (Litterateur, Poet, and Filmmaker) |
|---|---|
| Mother | Indira Lankesh (Businesswomen) |
| Siblings |
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| Spouse | Chidanand Rajghatta (Ex-husband - Columnist) |
Career
| Started career as a journalist with The Times of India in Bangalore in the mid-1980s | |
| Worked as a correspondent for Sunday magazine for nine years after returning to Bangalore in 1989 | |
| Worked for Eenadu's Telugu television channel in Delhi in the late 1990s | |
| Took over as editor of Lankesh Patrike in 2000 following her father's death, with brother Indrajit as publisher | |
| Founded and edited Gauri Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada-language weekly tabloid, in 2005 | |
| Known for critical journalism covering rural issues, communal violence, caste system, and right-wing extremism | |
| Wrote extensively about sexual assault and rape cases involving religious figures | |
| Was part of a government panel involved in shaping a Maoist surrender to state police and helped reintegrate former rebels | |
| Was planning to publish an article about disinformation at the time of her death in 2017 |
Favourites
| Favourite Food | Grilled chicken | ||||
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| Favourite Actor | Mahesh Babu | ||||
| Favourite Actress | Harshika Poonacha | ||||
| Favourite Films |
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| Favourite TV Show | Boston Legal | ||||
| Favourite Books |
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| Favourite Writers |
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| Favourite Journalist | Shivam Vij | ||||
| Favourite Politicians |
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Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Gauri Lankesh drank alcohol. | |
| 2. She was born into a family known for journalism and media publishing. | |
| 3. Her father was a famous writer, poet, and filmmaker who published the weekly 'Lankesh Patrike'. | |
| 4. Although she aspired to be a doctor, she pursued a career in journalism. | |
| 5. She was previously married to Chidanand Rajghatta, a college friend, before their divorce. | |
| 6. Gauri began her journalism career at the Times of India in Bengaluru. | |
| 7. Following her father's passing in 2000, she took over as chief editor of his publication. | |
| 8. Initially, she worked for Eenadu's Telugu television channel before joining her father's weekly. | |
| 9. Gauri supported political parties like the Indian National Congress (INC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). | |
| 10. Similar to her father, she advocated for secularism and opposed casteism and Hindutva ideology. | |
| 11. She established her own publication, 'Gauri Lankesh Patrike', in 2005. | |
| 12. Tragically, Gauri Lankesh was fatally shot by three assailants on September 5, 2017, while entering her home in Bengaluru. | |
| 13. She had written about the wrongdoings of Indian National Congress leader D. K. Shivakumar. | |
| 14. She faced three defamation cases filed against her in Dakshina Kannada district, including two by Raghaveshwara Bharati for writing about his alleged rapes and sexual assaults. |
