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- Aiyar, began her career in the TV news industry, when she joined Doordarshan in 1976 after completing her graduation from Kolkata's Loreto College in '71.
- Besides news, Aiyar was also involved in theatre and also obtained a diploma from the National School of Drama.
- An Indian Express report reveals that Aiyar grew up by observing people like Surojit Sen and Pamela Singh reading news on the radio, and was greatly influenced by them.
- News presenters like Aiyar became vastly influential across the country in the mid 1970s, before which Doordarshan only offered programmes like Chitrahaar and Krishi Darshan.
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Gitanjali Aiyar was born on Wednesday, 29 January 1947 (age 76 years; at the time of death). The TribuneShe grew up in Delhi. She studied at the Cathedral & John Connon School. Gitanjali Aiyar graduated from Loreto College in Kolkata, West Bengal. She earned a diploma from the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi.
Parents & Siblings
There is not much information about her parents and siblings.
Husband & Children
Gitanjali Aiyar was married to Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar, an Indian economist, journalist, and columnist. The couple, however, got separated later. She is survived by two children, a daughter named Pallavi Aiyar, and a son named Shekhar Aiyar. Pallavi Aiyar is an award-winning foreign correspondent and author. She has reported from across China, Europe, Indonesia, and Japan. Shekhar Aiyar, on the other hand, works at International Monetary Fund in the United States.
From Doordarshan to British High Commission
Gitanjali Aiyar joined Doordarshan in 1971. She read the prime-time news in English at 9:00 pm, a few days a week for over a decade. In addition to her news anchoring, she hosted various popular shows including ‘A Date With You,’ a show dedicated to playing English song requests on All India Radio every Friday night. In 1978, when All India Radio and Doordarshan became separate organisations, Aiyar chose to continue working with Doordarshan; she left Doordarshan in 2002. Gitanjali Aiyar – Lin...
Corporate and Marketing
After a decades-long career in the news industry at Doordarshan, Gitanjali dabbled in corporate communications, government liaison, and marketing. She served as the vice president of Yash Birla Group’s public affairs department in New Delhi (2001-2005). Gitanjali held the position of director of the international sales department at The Oberoi Group in New Delhi from 2005 to 2007. In 2007, she joined the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as a consultant and continued till 2010. In 2011,...
Advertisement, Theatre, and Television
Gitanjali Aiyar had a passion for the realm of theatre. She performed in many theatrical productions. Gitanjali even acted in Doordarshan’s television series ‘Khandaan’ (1985), which was directed by Shreedhar Ksheersagar. Beyond her television endeavours, Gitanjali made appearances in various print advertisements, adding another dimension to her versatile career.
In 1989, Gitanjali Aiyar won Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for Outstanding Women. She was awarded the best anchor four times during her tenure at Doordarshan.
Gitanjali Aiyar, who had been battling Parkinson’s disease, experienced a sudden collapse upon returning home from a walk on 7 June 2023. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital in New Delhi by the house helpers; however, she was declared brought dead. The cause of her death was determined to be a brain haemorrhage. The Tribune
According to sources, Aiyar grew up observing people like Surojit Sen and Pamela Singh reading news on the radio and was greatly influenced by them. These personalities significantly shaped her own...
Jun 7, 2023 · Gitanjali passed away in June 2023 due to Parkinson’s disease. During her formative years, Gitanjali Aiyar’s upbringing was deeply influenced by the resonant voices of distinguished broadcasters such as Surojit Sen and Pamela Singh, who captivated audiences through their news presentations on the radio.
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Mani Shankar Aiyar’s father, Vaidyanatha Shankar Aiyar, was a chartered accountant, who died in a plane crash when Mani Shankar was 12 years old. His mother’s name is Bhagyalakshmi Shankar Aiyar. Mani’s mother worked as a teacher at the Doon School after the death of her husband.
Aiyar’s family migrated to India from newly formed Pakistan, following the partition of British India in 1947. His father, an accountant, died while Aiyar was still a boy. Aiyar attended the prestigious Doon School in Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand), where he befriended future Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
- Shanthie Mariet D'souza
Personal life. He was married on 4 January 1973 to Suneet Vir Singh, a Sikh woman. They have 3 daughters – the eldest, Suranya Aiyar is a lawyer; [7] the second, Yamini Aiyar is a senior research fellow and director of the Accountability Initiative; [8]
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Jun 7, 2023 · Remembered for her poise, erudite delivery and enunciation, Delhi-based Aiyar, among the first English newsreaders on Indian television whose career with DD spanned three decades, died of brain haemorrhage on Wednesday afternoon. She was 72 and had been ailing for a while.
