Well-known Hindi journalist Ravish Kumar resigned from NDTV late last night after 27 years of association with the TV channel. His resignation came only a day after Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy resigned as directors of RRPR Holding Private Limited. The resignations are the outcome of Adani Group’s takeover of almost 99.5℅ shares of NDTV’s promoter, RRPR Holding Private Limited.
According to the Indian Express, in an internal mail, the channel stated that the resignation comes into effect immediately. “Few journalists have impacted people as much as Ravish did. This reflects in the immense feedback about him — in the ‘crowds he draws everywhere; in the prestigious awards and recognition, he has received, within India and internationally,” read the mail. “Ravish has been an integral part of NDTV for decades, his contribution has been immense, and we know he will be successful as he embarks on a new beginning,” the mail said.
Ravish Kumar joined NDTV as a translator in 1996. In 27 years, his shows like Hum Log, Ravish ki Report, Des Ki Baat, and Prime Time are popular among folks. Kumar is the two-time winner of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2019.
In the video, he said, “There was never a golden era of journalism in India, but it was also not a bhasm era like today’s era, in which every good thing about the journalism profession is being consumed.
Criticizing the current state of the media, he said, “Godi media and the government also want to impose their own meaning of journalism on you. At this point in time, I will not say anything specific about my institution because you cannot remain neutral in sentimentality. 26 in NDTV. There are many wonderful memories in NDTV, which will now be useful for telling stories.
He began by calling today’s age of media “Bhasmayug” which is the doom of mainstream media in India where every good in the profession of journalism is speedily turning into ashes. He said that the ecosystem of journalism is demolished in India.
Ravish Kumar continued recalling his 27 years of journalism with NDTV. He joined NDTV in August 1996 as a translator. At that time his job was to make reports on feedback letters posted by the audience and then send them to producers and anchors. He called himself a daily wage labourer of that time. Then turned into a translator, and a reporter.