Veteran Doordarshan news anchor Sarla Maheshwari, one of the most familiar faces of DD news in the 1980s and 1990s, passed away on Thursday. For a generation that grew up with fixed-time bulletins, she was a steady and trusted presence on screen.
As per the family’s note, her cremation will take place at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi at 4 pm today.
Here are 10 key things to know:
- Sarla Maheshwari served as a Doordarshan news anchor from 1976 to 2005.
- Her career spanned nearly three decades at a time when Doordarshan was India’s primary television news platform.
- She joined DD after auditioning while pursuing her PhD at Delhi University.
- She began as an announcer before moving into news reading.
- Maheshwari witnessed the transition of Indian television from black-and-white to colour broadcasts.
- She became a regular face of national news bulletins during DD’s peak years.
- Her delivery style was calm, measured and formal, which were the hallmarks of that era.
- She remained a recognisable voice for viewers long before the advent of private 24×7 news channels.
- Following news of her passing, colleagues and viewers have shared tributes and memories.
- Many have remembered her simplicity and on-screen grace, qualities that defined Doordarshan’s news presentation in those decades.