Veteran Doordarshan anchor Sarla Maheshwari passed away on Thursday at the age of 71. Doordarshan National paid a “heartfelt tribute” to the former newsreader on social media, remembering her for her “gentle voice, precise pronunciation, and dignified delivery.”
The post on X read:
“On behalf of the Doordarshan family, we pay our heartfelt tribute to Mrs Sarla Maheshwari. She was a respected and revered Doordarshan newsreader, who carved a special place in the Indian news world with her gentle voice, precise pronunciation, and dignified delivery. Her simplicity, restraint, and personality instilled a deep trust in her viewers.”
Ex-colleague and veteran anchor Shammi Narang also shared his grief on X:
“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.”
He added in a follow-up post:
“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.”
The All India Mahila Congress described her death as the “end of a golden era of television journalism” on X:
“Her credibility and decency will always be an inspiration for generations to come.”
Maheshwari began her career with Doordarshan in 1976 as a news announcer while pursuing her PhD at Delhi University. She later became among the earliest anchors to read news live on Indian television. She worked with Doordarshan until 1984, moved to the UK to serve as a newsreader with the BBC until 1986, and returned to India in 1988 to rejoin Doordarshan.
Over a career spanning nearly three decades, Maheshwari became a familiar and trusted face in Indian households, especially during the era of black-and-white and early colour television. She was widely known for her calm, formal, and composed style of presentation.
— with inputs from IANS
