Senior television journalist Sumit Awasthi has taken on a new role at Times Now Navbharat, joining the Times Network’s Hindi news channel as Senior Consulting Editor.
The move marks the latest chapter in a nearly 25-year career at the heart of Hindi television news and political journalism.
At Times Now Navbharat, he is expected to strengthen the channel’s prime-time and political coverage as the network steps up its investment in Hindi news to compete with established players such as Aaj Tak, Zee News and ABP News.
Awasthi’s appointment comes shortly after he stepped down from NDTV India, where he worked for around two and a half years as Consulting Editor.
At NDTV he hosted shows such as Hum Bharat Ke Log and Khabron Ki Khabar, becoming a familiar presence in the channel’s prime-time line-up and fronting coverage on national politics and public affairs.
Hindi media coverage has described his shift to Times Now Navbharat as the start of a “new innings” within Times Network, underlining both his seniority and the importance the group attaches to its Hindi offering.
Widely regarded as one of Hindi television’s best-known political journalists, Awasthi has spent close to two and a half decades in top Hindi newsrooms.
After studying journalism, he began his professional journey with an internship at Hindi daily Jansatta.
In 1997 he joined Zee News, where he rose through the ranks to become Resident Editor, handling political news and anchoring prime-time shows.
He later moved to Aaj Tak, spending around five years there as Deputy Editor and prime-time anchor, further cementing his reputation as a serious, debate-driven political journalist.
He went on to hold senior roles at Network18/IBN7 (now News18 India) as Deputy Managing Editor, and subsequently at ABP News, where he worked as Vice President (News & Production) and later as Consulting Editor, combining editorial strategy with on-air responsibilities.
Most recently, before signing on with Times Now Navbharat, he was at NDTV India as Consulting Editor, anchoring prime-time discussion and analysis programmes and leading coverage of politics and current affairs.
Awasthi’s background and education are rooted in north and central India. Born in 1974, he grew up in the region and completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Indore, followed by graduation from Holkar Science College, also in Indore.
He later moved to Delhi to study journalism at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, laying the academic foundations for his media career. In interviews, he has said that journalism “runs in his blood”: his father worked with Akashvani (All India Radio) and was associated with the government information service, giving him early exposure to news and public communication.
Before turning fully towards journalism, he twice attempted to join the Indian Army; when those efforts did not work out, he chose media as his professional path.
Over the years, Awasthi has received several honours for his work in television journalism. In 2012 he was awarded the Madhavji Jyoti Puraskar for best journalist, and in 2019 he received a Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award in the news category.
Industry write-ups and his public profiles often describe him as one of the “credible faces” of Hindi TV news, known for a calm anchoring style, sharp political analysis and ease with both studio debates and field reporting.
His core strength lies in political journalism and election coverage. Across Zee News, Aaj Tak, Network18, ABP and NDTV, he has anchored prime-time debates, special election shows and long-form discussions on national issues.
Colleagues and viewers tend to associate him with explanatory, ground-linked analysis rather than purely confrontational studio sparring.
He also maintains an active presence online, from his own website positioning him as a prime-time anchor to verified accounts on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, where he offers behind-the-scenes glimpses of his work and commentary on political developments.
Awasthi’s arrival as Senior Consulting Editor at Times Now Navbharat signals Times Network’s intent to deepen its credibility and bench strength in Hindi political news.
In a crowded and highly competitive Hindi TV market, the channel is betting on his decades of experience, national recognition and election-coverage expertise to bolster its prime-time slate and special programming.
For Awasthi, the move adds another high-profile newsroom to a résumé that already spans most of India’s major Hindi news brands.
As Times Now Navbharat seeks to expand its influence in the Hindi-speaking belt, his performance in this new role will be closely watched by viewers, rivals and media industry observers alike.
