Rahul Kanwal

Journalist, News Presenter

Indian Deolali, Maharashtra

Quick Info

ProfessionJournalist, News Presenter
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth14/09/1980
Age45 years
BirthplaceDeolali, Maharashtra

Latest News about Rahul Kanwal

25/04/2025

Rahul Kanwal was formally appointed as CEO and Editor-in-Chief of NDTV following board ratification on April 25, 2025. The appointment was disclosed to stock exchanges under SEBI regulations, marking a significant leadership transition for the news organization as Kanwal brought over 25 years of broadcast journalism experience from his previous role at India Today.

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Physical Stats & More

Height5' 7" (170 cm)
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

School(s)
  • Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi
  • St. Joseph's College, Allahabad
College/University
  • Delhi University
  • Cardiff University, Wales, UK
  • Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts
Degree(s)
  • Bachelor of Journalism at Delhi University (1999-2002)
  • A programme in International Broadcast Journalism at Cardiff University, Wales, UK
  • General Management Program at Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts (2020)
  • CORe, Accounting and Finance, Managerial Economics, Business Analytics at at Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts (August 2021-December 2021)
  • CORe, Accounting and Finance, Managerial Economics, Business Analytics at Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts (August 2021-December 2021)

Personal Life

ReligionSikhism
EthnicityPunjabi
Food HabitNon-Vegetarian
Hobbies
  • Watching Movies
  • Travelling
  • Doing Adventurous Sports
  • Horse Riding
  • Golf
  • Table Tennis
  • Badminton
  • Squash
  • Cricket

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Marriage DateApril 2011
Spouse NameJasleen Dhanota

Family

FatherGurmeet Kanwal (ex army officer, adjunct non-resident fellow at Centre for Strategic and International Studies)
MotherNeelu Kanwal (worked at Mount Carmel School, New Delhi)
SiblingsBrother: Manav Kanwal (hospitality consultant at Infor, US)
SpouseJasleen Dhanota (communications consultant)
Children
  • 1
  • Neevan

Career

Awards
  • 1999: The Youngest News Anchor by Zee News
  • 2002: Chevening Awards for Broadcast Journalism at Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts
  • 2013: Indian Television Academy Award for Best Anchor
  • 2016: National Annual Award by the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation
  • 2019: Exchange4media News Broadcasting Award for Best Anchor
  • 2020: ENBA Award for Best Business Programme- English, Best News Coverage (National)- English, Best News Coverage (International)- English, and Best Prime Time Show
  • 2023: ITA Award for Best Anchor (News/Current Affairs), AIMA Award
Current PositionCEO and Editor-in-Chief at NDTV
Current Position Start Date25/04/2025
Previous Positions
  • News Director at India Today and Aaj Tak
  • Executive Director at Headlines Today
  • Managing Director at India Today and Aaj Tak
  • Executive Director of Business Today at TV Today Network
Notable Initiatives
  • Anti-Fake News War Room (AFWA) - aimed at combating misinformation
  • Open Source Intelligence Desk (OSINT) - data-driven journalism initiative
Notable Shows
  • NewsTrack (prime-time debate show)
  • Jab We Met (weekend interview series)
  • Centre Stage (flagship news show at Headlines Today)
  • Seedhi Baat (Hindi news show)

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Rahul Kanwal began his career at Zee News and Zee Business in June 1999, where he worked for over three years.
2. As an intern, he secured a significant interview with the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
3. In November 2002, he joined Aaj Tak as a principal correspondent and anchor.
4. His role at Aaj Tak progressed, with promotions to special correspondent in 2004 and senior special correspondent in 2006.
5. By April 2007, Rahul had become the editor of Headlines Today at Aaj Tak.
6. He gained fame through his Hindi news TV show 'Seedhi Baat,' hosting notable guests like Salman Khan, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal, and Kanhaiya Kumar.
7. From 2008 to 2022, he served as the executive director at Headlines Today before being promoted to managing director in 2011.
8. In July 2014, Rahul became the managing director at India Today and Aaj Tak, later advancing to news director at both in approximately four years.
9. Rahul's 2019 interview with politician Piyush Goyal attracted criticism for escalating tensions between CRPF and Naxalites due to the questions posed.
10. By May 2021, he had assumed the role of executive director at India Today and Aaj Tak.
11. His show 'Jab We Met With Rahul Kanwal' has gained immense popularity, featuring interviews with Indian celebrities such as Anant Ambani, Amit Shah, Asaduddin Owaisi, and Omar Abdullah.
12. He was granted financial support for a course in Hostile Environment Journalism from the Rory Peck Trust.
13. Rahul enjoys playing sports like golf, table tennis, badminton, squash, and cricket.
14. He maintains his fitness with regular workouts at the gym.
15. A spiritual person, Rahul frequently visits various religious sites.
16. He is known to enjoy alcoholic beverages at different social gatherings and events.
17. Rahul Kanwal was honored as "The Youngest News Anchor" by Zee News.
18. He has over 25 years of experience in broadcast journalism.
19. He is a Chevening Scholar and has studied International Broadcast Journalism at Cardiff University.
20. He has over 4.5 million followers on Twitter.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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