Rajat Sharma (born 18 February 1957) is a prominent Indian journalist and businessperson, best known as the chairman and Editor-in-chief of India TV, a leading Indian news channel. With a career spanning several decades, Sharma has gained recognition not only for his impactful journalism, but also for his close ties with influential political figures, including the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. In 2015, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian awards, in recognition of his contributions to journalism. Beyond his media endeavors, Sharma has taken an active role in addressing emerging challenges in digital media, particularly through his efforts to regulate deepfake technology in India. His advocacy includes filing a public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court, underscoring the importance of safeguarding personal data and integrity in the digital age.
Rajat Sharma is an Indian journalist and businessperson who is the chairman and Editor-in-chief of India TV, an Indian news outlet.[2][3] Sharma is said to be very close to the ruling BJP and the late Arun Jaitley, a BJP politician[4] and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[5] In 2014, India TV's former anchor Tanu Sharma filed FIR against two India TV executives, including Sharma, alleging that she faced harassment in the workplace leading her to attempt suicide.[6][7] In response, Sharma and Ritu Dhiman threatened to pursue legal action against her.[4]
In May 2023, Sharma filed a lawsuit against Ravindra Kumar Choudhary, leading the Delhi High Court to restrain Choudhary from using the names “Baap Ki Adalat” and “Jhandiya TV,” which were deemed deceptively similar to Sharma's show “Aap Ki Adalat.”[8] The court ordered that Choudhary must cease using Sharma’s images and name across various platforms, highlighting the protection of intellectual property rights in media.[9]
In addition to his media work, Sharma has been involved in efforts to address the challenges posed by deepfake technology. He filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court, urging the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to identify and block platforms that facilitate deepfake creation, following his own experience with a malicious deepfake video.[10] The court acknowledged the urgency of the issue, indicating that political parties have raised similar concerns.[11] Sharma’s PIL also calls for appointing a government nodal officer to manage deepfake complaints and advocates for clear disclosures of AI-generated content by platforms. He highlights significant gaps in current legislation, particularly the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which he argues does not adequately address the challenges posed by deepfakes.[10]
An RTI request filed by the Indian express revealed that Sharma was not on the government's list of nominees but received the Padma Bhushan award at the recommendation of Arun Jaitley.[4] He was President of the Delhi Cricket Association.[12] However, he resigned only twenty months into his job citing corruption and various "pulls and pressures".[13]
On 9 July 2024, he was unanimously elected as president for the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) which is known as the largest organisation of news broadcasters and digital media in India. He replaced the NBDA's previous president, Avinash Pandey.[14]
In June 2024, Rajat Sharma faced allegations from Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Jairam Ramesh, and Pawan Khera, who claimed that he used abusive language during a live broadcast on the day of the Lok Sabha election results.[18] Following these accusations, Sharma filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court, seeking the removal of the tweets and videos in question. The Delhi High Court, after reviewing the case, ruled in favor of Sharma, stating that the continued presence of the alleged defamatory material could irreparably harm his reputation as a journalist.[19] The court ordered the removal of the tweets and directed social media platforms to make the related videos private until the case was resolved. Sharma's legal team contended that the Congress leaders only began tweeting about the allegations six days after the broadcast, suggesting a coordinated effort to damage his reputation.[20]
