Sarla Maheshwari Age, Death, Husband, Children, Family, Biography » StarsUnfolded

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sarla Maheshwari

• Sarla Maheshwari was born in Delhi, India and completed her BA and MA in Hindi from the University of Delhi. She later earned her PhD in Hindi from the same university.

• In 1976, while pursuing her doctoral studies, she auditioned for Doordarshan and was selected as an announcer.
  

  Sarla Maheshwari in her early career years

• She began her broadcasting career as a continuity announcer before moving to Hindi news reading. During the late 1970s, she became a regular face on the national Hindi news bulletin.

• At that time, Doordarshan was India’s only television news broadcaster with nationwide reach. She read prime-time Hindi news bulletins that were broadcast across the country every evening.

• Live broadcasts during that period were conducted without teleprompters, requiring memorisation and precise script handling.
  

  Sarla Maheshwari during a show

• She became known for clear pronunciation, correct diction, and steady presentation style. In 1982, she was among the early anchors associated with colour telecasts during the Asian Games in New Delhi.

• Her career witnessed the transition of Indian television from black-and-white transmission to colour broadcasting.

• In 1984, she married Dr Pawan Maheshwari, a Delhi-based gastroenterologist. After her marriage, she moved to the United Kingdom and worked briefly as a newsreader with the BBC.

• Following her return to India in 1988, she rejoined Doordarshan for her second professional phase. During the 1980s and 1990s, she remained one of the principal Hindi news anchors of DD National.

• She covered major national events, parliamentary developments, and government announcements through scheduled bulletins.
  

  Sarla Maheshwari in her later years

• She worked during a period when news presentation followed a formal and structured format. Her career continued as private television news channels began emerging in India during the 1990s.

• Despite increasing competition, she remained associated with Doordarshan as a senior and experienced newsreader.

• Her total tenure with Doordarshan spanned from 1976 until her retirement in 2005. Alongside her broadcasting career, she served as a lecturer at Hansraj College under Delhi University.

• She balanced her academic responsibilities with scheduled news broadcasts for several years. After retiring from Doordarshan in 2005, she reduced her public appearances but remained connected with former colleagues.

• In her later years, she developed kidney failure and underwent dialysis for a prolonged period. She passed away in New Delhi on 12 February 2026 at the age of 71 years.

• Her last rites were performed on the same day at Nigambodh Shamshan Ghat. Her death was reported by national media, and Doordarshan National issued an official tribute acknowledging her career.