India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, led by Navneet Sehgal and Gaurav Dwivedi, is undergoing a strategic revival—expanding global presence, modernizing Doordarshan and Akashvani, and focusing on credible, digital-first public media.
By J P Gupta
New Delhi : Long regarded as a sleeping giant of Indian media, Prasar Bharati—the autonomous body governing Doordarshan and Akashvani—is showing signs of a dramatic revival. Once relegated to ceremonial roles and staid programming, the public broadcaster is being reimagined under the joint leadership of Chairman Navneet Sehgal and CEO Gaurav Dwivedi.
Their mission is ambitious but clear: to give India a credible, contemporary voice on the global media stage.
Sehgal, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, took over as Chairman earlier last year. With decades of experience in information and cultural affairs, he brings a strategic editorial sensibility to the role.
Dwivedi, a 1995-batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre, brings a distinct blend of governance experience and digital innovation. Having served in administrative roles across Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, he gained national prominence as the first CEO of MyGov, the Government of India’s flagship citizen engagement platform launched in 2014, and is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Administration for his pioneering work in food security and digital reforms in the public distribution system.
Together, the two are crafting a new direction for Prasar Bharati—one that values credibility over noise and seeks relevance in both domestic and international discourse.
Return to the Global Arena
One of the more symbolic yet significant shifts under their tenure has been the return of Doordarshan and Akashvani journalists to high-level foreign visits by the Prime Minister and President. This practice, once routine, had been quietly shelved in recent years, leaving foreign networks to dominate coverage of India’s global engagements.
The change signals a renewed determination: India’s state broadcaster will no longer be a passive observer but an active participant in shaping the narrative.
Plans are also underway to expand Prasar Bharati’s global footprint. With just four overseas bureaus, India’s public media presence is a fraction of China’s state media or even Qatar’s Al Jazeera. New bureaus, particularly in Europe and South Asia, are being considered to close this gap.
Building Credibility, Not Just Capacity
The revival, however, is not about becoming a mouthpiece for the establishment. Both leaders have emphasized the need for fact-based, impartial journalism that can rebuild trust in public media.
Reforms under discussion include enhanced training for journalists, a shift to digital-first production, consolidation of content across platforms, and an overhaul of outdated government bulletins—such as New India Samachar—that critics say resemble political CVs more than public information.
“India doesn’t just need a louder voice,” a senior official involved in the reforms said. “It needs a wiser one—credible, balanced, and future-ready.”
Restoring the Public Mandate
In a fragmented and polarized media environment, where deepfakes and disinformation increasingly undermine public discourse, the stakes are high. Prasar Bharati’s leadership sees a role akin to that of the BBC, Japan’s NHK, or the U.S.-based PBS—public broadcasters that inform, educate, and unify.
The transformation won’t happen overnight. But with a rare combination of administrative acumen and digital sensibility at the helm, the contours of a modern, mission-driven public broadcaster are beginning to take shape.
And for the first time in years, India’s national broadcaster doesn’t just have something to say—it may finally be ready to be heard.
