Rajdeep Sardesai

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Rajdeep Sardesai (born May 24,1965 in Ahmedabad in a Maharashtrian Karhade Brahmin family is an Indian political commentator and TV personality. Rajdeep is a known Left-wing journalist in the Indian media, married to Sagarika Ghose-Sardesai, daughter of Bhaskar Ghose, erstwhile director of Doordarshan(DD), a State run TV Channel in India. Sagarika, before joining CNN-IBN, worked with the Indian Express.

He was the host of the award-winning talk show The Big Fight on NDTV 24x7, one of the leading Indian news channels and was particularly appreciated for his coverage of the Gujrat riots. Rajdeep Sardesai later quit NDTV to start his own company, Global Broadcast News (GBN) in collaboration with the American giant CNN and Raghav Bahl's TV18. The latter broadcasts the Indian Edition of CNBC called CNBC-TV18, the Hindi consumer channel, CNBC Awaaz and an international channel, SAW. The new channel with Rajdeep as the Editor-in-Chief has been named CNN-IBN. It went on air on December 17, 2005. Channel 7 has also come under this umbrella after Rajdeep's company bought a 46 percent stake in the channel. Channel 7 has since been renamed IBN-7.

Rajdeep is the son of the former Indian Test cricketer Dilip Sardesai and Nandini Sardesai, an activist in Mumbai and former head of the Dept of Sociology, St Xavier's College; He attended the Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai. He completed bachelor's course in Economic (Hons) from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and obtained MA LLB degrees from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He has worked for The Times of India, Mumbai, between 1988 and 1994 as City Editor and Head, News Service.

He moved to television journalism in 1994 as Political Editor, New Delhi Television (NDTV.) He is the member of Population Council and Press Club of India. Rajdeep writes columns for leading English dailies.

Rajdeep Sardesai has also played cricket for the Oxford University team. Rajdeep is profiled as a right-hand batsman and a right-arm offbreak bowler in the records rajdeep is a good person.

[edit] Summons from Legislature

Rajdeep Sardesai, in his capacity as the editor of CNN IBN and its sister concern Channel 7 was served summons by the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly on October 10th, 2006 requiring him to appear in police custody on October 27th at the house.

The case against Rajdeep Sardesai is a breach of privilege, and non appearance in the house for the previous summons by the same legislature. The heart of the dispute lies in the airing of a sting operation "Netaa Bhi Bikta Hai" (English:Leaders do Sell). The operation showed an Uttar Pradesh State legislator accepting a bribe. The legislators dispute the veracity of the Compact Discs that were used in the operation.