Anjana Om Kashyap is an Indian journalist, television news anchor and media executive. She serves as Managing Editor of the Hindi news channel Aaj Tak, and she is best known for her prime-time debate shows. This Anjana Om Kashyap biography covers her career from Doordarshan to Aaj Tak, her personal life and the controversies around her. It also covers the 2026 defamation case she filed against educator Khan Sir, which is among the most-searched stories about her this year.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Anjana Om Kashyap |
| Date of Birth | 12 June 1975 |
| Age | 51 years (as of October 2026) |
| Birthplace | Ranchi, Jharkhand (then Bihar), India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Education | BSc (Hons) Botany, University of Delhi; postgraduate studies at Delhi School of Social Work; journalism diploma, Jamia Millia Islamia |
| Profession | Journalist, TV news anchor, media executive |
| Known For | Aaj Tak prime-time shows (Halla Bol, Black and White), leading Aaj Tak 2 |
| Employer | Aaj Tak (TV Today Network / India Today Group) |
| Spouse | Mangesh Kashyap (Delhi Police officer, IPS/DANIPS) |
| Children | Two (a son and a daughter) |
| Official Website | anjanaomkashyap.com |
| Social Handles |
Who Is Anjana Om Kashyap?
Kashyap began her journalism career at Doordarshan, then moved to Zee News and News 24 before joining Aaj Tak. Over more than two decades she went from behind-the-camera producing roles to being one of Hindi television’s best-known faces. Her style is assertive and debate-driven, which has earned her a large audience. It has also drawn repeated criticism and legal complaints.
In recent years she has taken on leadership roles as well as anchoring. Aaj Tak launched Aaj Tak 2 in 2022 under her leadership. In August 2025 she was named to lead the main broadcast channel, Aaj Tak HD, as well.
Early Life & Family
Anjana was born into a middle-class family in Ranchi, then part of Bihar, to Omprakash Tiwari. Her father was a doctor on a short-service commission with the Indian Army and served during the Bangladesh War of Liberation. Her “Om” comes from her father’s name. Another profile describes her father as a former defence officer, which is consistent with this.
Her family has not published detailed information about her mother or siblings, and we found no credible source for them. She is married with two children. Their names and school details are deliberately left out of this article. In July 2026 the Delhi High Court directed that posts disclosing her children’s details be taken down.
Education
She attended Loreto Convent and then Delhi Public School in Ranchi. She went on to study Botany (Honours) at the University of Delhi. One profile names Daulat Ram College for this degree. She also sat the All India Pre Medical Test but did not clear it. Later she enrolled at the Delhi School of Social Work for her postgraduate degree, and in the early 2000s she took a journalism diploma at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Career
Before Journalism (1990s–early 2000s)
Her first job was as a counsellor at Daewoo Motors, which she left after about a year. She then worked with an NGO as a legal counsellor. Social work shaped her early interest in public issues.
Doordarshan and Zee News (c. 2003–2007)
After her diploma, she joined Doordarshan on the desk of the investigative show Aankhon Dekhi. Within a year she moved to Zee News, where she mostly worked as a producer and occasionally anchored special features.
News 24 (2007–2012)
In 2007 she joined News 24, where she first anchored a mainstream evening debate show. She left in early 2012 for Star News, which shut down months later.
Aaj Tak (2012–present)
Around late 2012 she joined Aaj Tak, following her former News 24 boss Supriya Prasad. At Aaj Tak she anchored shows including Halla Bol, Special Reports and the prime-time debate Black and White. In the run-up to the 2019 general election she was among the few anchors given an interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Aaj Tak 2, AI Avatar and Aaj Tak HD (2022–2025)
In August 2022 the India Today Group launched Aaj Tak 2, a digital vertical aimed at a younger audience, with Kashyap heading it alongside her existing role. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, Aaj Tak introduced “Anjana 2.0”, an AI avatar modelled on her and billed as India’s first AI anchor modelled on a living anchor. Her election special The Helicopter Shot reportedly covered 100 destinations in 10 days. In August 2025 she was announced as head of Aaj Tak HD, while remaining Managing Editor of Aaj Tak 2.
Awards & Recognition
- November 2014: Indian Television Academy Award for Best Anchor
- February 2015: ENBA Award, Best Anchor (Hindi)
- December 2018: Indian Television Academy Award, Best Anchor – News/Current Affairs Show (Hindi)
Controversies
Her work has been widely praised for reach. It has also been criticised by media commentators, opposition voices and some communities. The items below summarise documented events. Allegations are not findings of wrongdoing unless a court has said so.
2019: Bihar Hospital ICU Coverage
While reporting on the 2019 Bihar encephalitis outbreak, she entered a neonatal ICU at a Muzaffarpur hospital and confronted the on-duty paediatrician. She was widely criticised, and the Indian Medical Association later filed a complaint.
Criticism of Her Journalism Style
A 2019 long-form piece in The Caravan argued that her coverage leaned towards the ruling BJP and Hindutva-centred narratives. Scroll.in has described her as establishment-friendly. Her supporters and her channel see her as a fearless, high-reach anchor. Her views on caste reservations in a panel discussion also drew criticism from some viewers.
September 2025: Partition Show Complaint
Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur filed a complaint over a Black and White episode titled “Bharat vibhajan ka maksad pura kyun nahi hua?”, which is pending before a Lucknow court. Outlets differ on whether the court ordered an FIR or a complaint case.
October 2025: Valmiki Remarks FIR
In October 2025, an FIR was filed against her over remarks about the sage Valmiki that allegedly hurt the sentiments of the Valmiki community.
November 2025: Dharmendra False Death Report
On 11 November 2025 she aired an unverified report that veteran actor Dharmendra had died. He was in fact receiving treatment. Aaj Tak and India Today later apologised on social media. Trolls then began circulating a fake report of her death. Kashyap is alive, and no credible outlet has reported otherwise.
March 2026: Iran Hostage Crisis Headline Error
Alt News reported that Aaj Tak ran the 1979 Iran hostage crisis as breaking news after a politician referenced it. Kashyap acknowledged the mistake, apologised to viewers and told her team to remove the incorrect headline.
May–July 2026: “Star Teachers” Row and Khan Sir Defamation Case
This is the biggest current story about her. On a debate aired on 29 May 2026, she commented on the growing influence of online “star teachers” and the commercialisation of education. Her wording was seen as derogatory. Several online educators, including Khan Sir (Faisal Khan), responded sharply on social media. Some used terms such as “bikau patrakar” and “chatukar” about her.
Kashyap and TV Today Network filed a ₹2 crore defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Khan Sir and others. The other defendants include educators Abhinay Sharma, Babita Tyagi and Arvind Bhadauriya, the 4PM News Network and certain X accounts. Reports say the court declined to grant immediate interim relief at its early hearings in June.
On 2 July 2026 Justice Tushar Rao Gedela referred the dispute to mediation. The court asked the educators to remove posts disclosing details about her children, and asked her to refrain from targeting the educators. Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao was appointed as mediator. The court also issued notice on the defendants’ application to reject the plaint and listed the case for 9 July. The case is Anjana Om Kashyap & Anr. v. Faisal Khan & Ors., CS(OS) 538/2026.
Personal Life
Kashyap is married to Mangesh Kashyap, an officer of the 1995 Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS) cadre. They met during her days at Delhi University, and they have a son and a daughter. Mangesh Kashyap has served in Delhi Police and, from July 2016, as Chief Vigilance Officer of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. A recent entertainment-news profile describes him as Additional CP (Security) in Delhi Police. The marriage year is not reliably documented.
She has had a few small screen appearances as herself. In the film Sultan (2016) she appears as a news anchor. Reports also linked her to a cameo in Tiger Zinda Hai (2017).
Net worth: One site reports an estimate of ₹15–20 crore. Salary figures conflict, with some sites saying around ₹1 crore a year and others ₹4 crore. These are unverified estimates and not confirmed figures.
Anjana Om Kashyap in 2026
In 2026 Anjana Om Kashyap remains one of Aaj Tak’s most prominent faces, leading Aaj Tak 2 and Aaj Tak HD and anchoring Black and White. The year has been dominated by controversy. In March, the Iran headline error drew an on-air apology. From late May, the star-teachers row escalated into the ₹2 crore Delhi High Court suit, which moved to mediation in July. Her earlier legal complaints from 2025 (the Lucknow partition-show complaint and the Valmiki FIR) are also unresolved as far as published reports show.
Filmography / Screen Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Sultan | Herself | News anchor cameo |
| 2017 | Tiger Zinda Hai | Herself (reported) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Anjana Om Kashyap?
Most profiles give her date of birth as 12 June 1975, which makes her 51 years old in 2026. A few low-quality sites list different birth years, so the exact date is not officially confirmed.
Who is Anjana Om Kashyap’s husband?
Her husband is Mangesh Kashyap, a Delhi Police officer of the 1995 DANIPS cadre. They met at Delhi University and have two children.
What is the Anjana Om Kashyap–Khan Sir controversy?
After she criticised online “star teachers” on an Aaj Tak debate on 29 May 2026, several educators including Khan Sir attacked her online. She and TV Today Network sued them for ₹2 crore in the Delhi High Court. On 2 July 2026 the court referred the matter to mediation.
Which channel does Anjana Om Kashyap work for?
She works for Aaj Tak, part of the India Today Group’s TV Today Network. She is Managing Editor, leads Aaj Tak 2 and, since August 2025, Aaj Tak HD.
Did Anjana Om Kashyap die?
No. In November 2025, trolls circulated a fake report of her death after Aaj Tak aired a false report about actor Dharmendra’s death. No credible outlet has reported that she died.
What is Anjana Om Kashyap’s net worth?
There is no verified figure. One site estimates ₹15–20 crore, and salary reports vary widely. Treat all of these as unconfirmed estimates.
Last updated: October 2026
