New Delhi, February 12 Sarla Maheshwari, a former Doordarshan news anchor who was one of the most recognizable faces on TV in the 1980s and 90s, died in New Delhi on Thursday. She was 71.
Maheshwari was a familiar face on TV news from 1976 until 2005, alongside Salma Sultan, Minu Talwar, Shammi Narang, Geetanjali Aiyer, Neeti Ravindran, and others. Her name evoked nostalgia for India's broadcasting and its transition from black and white to color. She worked during a time when broadcasts were limited to a few hours a day and when there was only one channel to watch.
Her death, first announced by her colleague and friend Shammi Narang, was mourned by her colleagues, friends, and viewers.
"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my former co-anchor at Doordarshan, Sarla Maheshwari," Narang wrote on X and Instagram. "She was not only beautiful but also possessed a remarkable command of language and a wealth of knowledge. Her presence on Doordarshan was truly unique."
Doordarshan National also posted on 'X', saying, "Doordarshan family mourns the loss of Sarla Maheshwari. She was a respected and esteemed newsreader who carved a special place for herself in the Indian news world with her gentle voice, precise pronunciation, and dignified presentation. Her simplicity, restraint, and personality earned the trust and respect of viewers."
Maheshwari had arrived at a polling booth in an ambulance and spoken about the right to vote in February last year.
"I believe that voting is a right that belongs to all of us," she said. "Every citizen should exercise their right to vote."
There were limited details about her personal life or her health.
"Rest in peace, Sarla," her friend and colleague Rini Simon Khanna said.
"Sarla Maheshwari was the epitome of quiet excellence. She was elegant, simple, and graceful. She never sought attention but always commanded respect," Khanna wrote on Instagram.
Other colleagues also paid tribute. Sheila Chaman remembered their "long chats and happy DD times". Rajdeep Sardesai said, "Sarla Maheshwari was an enduring face of Doordarshan, a news reader whose voice was always soothing. Om Shanti." Sonal Kalra remembered her for her "simple grace and poise".
Another user, Amar Barwe, said that her strength lay in "simplicity and calmness" and that her voice "soothed, informed, and stayed with you."
The Kerala Congress credited her for bringing "dignity, clarity, and quiet confidence to the screen."
Doordarshan National also posted on 'X', saying, "...For an entire generation that grew up watching the evening bulletin, her composed presence and simple grace became part of daily life. May she rest in peace. Om Shanti!"
Maheshwari also taught Hindi at Delhi University’s Hansraj College in the late 1970s. V Krishnaswamy, a sports writer and former student, recalled her as a "very patient teacher".
