Starting April 28, Gaurav Sawant, one of Indian journalism’s most seasoned and trusted voices, will anchor India First at 8 PM on India Today TV, taking over the prime-time slot previously home to Newstrack.
India Today’s vibrant and democratic newsroom has always built its own leaders, training, trusting, and empowering talent ready to take charge.
With over three decades of frontline reporting, Gaurav has chronicled some of India’s most defining moments, from the Kargil War and Kandahar hijack to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pulwama, Uri, Nagrota, Kathua, Samba, Ahmedabad, and the IISC Bangalore attack. His fearless journalism has taken him deep into conflict zones in Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, Ukraine, and Israel, as well as to the scenes of the 7/7 and 21/7 London bombings. He was the first journalist to report from Daulat Beg Oldie at 16,900 feet during the India-China Galwan standoff, braving extreme conditions to bring viewers the truth from the ground.
Gaurav’s commitment to immersive reporting goes beyond the battlefield. He was awarded Para Wings by the Indian Navy after completing five para jumps, including an assisted free fall from a Sea King helicopter at INS Dega, a rare honor for a civilian journalist. In total, he has completed eight para jumps, a testament to his relentless pursuit of firsthand stories.
As the author of Dateline Kargil: A Correspondent’s Nine-Week Account from the Battlefront, Gaurav captured the untold realities of war. His Veergatha series, a collection of pictorial stories on Param Vir Chakra awardees for schoolchildren, was created with all proceeds dedicated to families of the armed forces. He notably refused to accept any government remuneration for writing about India’s bravest, underscoring his unwavering integrity.
Now, as Managing Editor at India Today TV, he brings that same clarity, credibility, and commitment to the network’s most crucial hour. India First will reflect the values that have shaped his career, offering viewers reportage rooted in facts, not frills.
