Ashok Shrivastav is an Indian journalist and primetime anchor at state broadcaster Doordarshan’s DD News, best known as the host of the debate show Do Took. This Ashok Shrivastav biography covers his career, which began in print journalism and includes reporting from Kashmir. It also covers the author credit for a 2019 book on Narendra Modi, and a series of legal and social media controversies, including a Telangana Police FIR in 2026. He remains one of the most discussed, and most divisive, television anchors in Indian news.
Ashok Shrivastav Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ashok Shrivastav (also spelled Shrivastava / Srivastava in media) |
| Real Name | No different birth name reported |
| Date of Birth / Age | Not publicly confirmed |
| Birthplace | Not confirmed; family roots reportedly in Varanasi, raised in Delhi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Not publicly stated |
| Education | Schooling in New Delhi; Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi; MA (subject not confirmed) |
| Profession | Journalist, TV news anchor, author |
| Known For | Hosting Do Took on DD News |
| Employer | DD News (Doordarshan / Prasar Bharati) |
| Spouse | Not publicly documented |
| X (Twitter) | @AshokShrivasta6 |
Who Is Ashok Shrivastav?
Ashok Shrivastav is a veteran television journalist who has been associated with Doordarshan for many years. He reportedly started as an anchor of a DD News segment called Ankhon Dekhi, then became a senior anchor-cum-correspondent, and was made senior consulting editor in 2020, according to biographical profiles. These profiles are not official, so treat the exact dates as .
He is a prominent figure because Do Took is a political debate programme on a government-funded channel. That has made him a frequent subject of coverage, both from supporters who see him as a nationalist voice and from critics, including media watchdogs, who question the show’s editorial balance.
Early Life & Family
Profiles state that Ashok Shrivastav’s family roots lie in Varanasi, that his father worked in the Hindi film industry and moved to Bombay for work before settling in Delhi, and that he has four sisters. One of his sisters reportedly died during the 1975 Emergency. These details come from a single secondary biography site and have not been confirmed by interviews or major outlets.
His date of birth, exact birthplace, parents’ names and marital status are not clearly documented in credible sources. This article doesn’t state an age, because no reliable date of birth is available.
Education
According to a secondary profile, Shrivastav studied at R A Geeta Co-Ed Sr Sec School in Shankar Vihar, New Delhi, and then at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. During college he reportedly worked as a freelance photographer and writer, and later completed an MA. The subject of his master’s degree is not specified.
Ashok Shrivastav Career
Early Journalism: Print and Photography
Before television, Shrivastav reportedly freelanced for newspapers including Navbharat Times, Jansatta and The Sunday Mail, and took photography assignments. After his MA he worked for a weekly newspaper, according to the same profile.
Joining Doordarshan
Profiles describe his entry into DD News as an accident of timing. After a planned channel launch failed and a production house venture did not work out, he approached Doordarshan hoping for part-time anchoring and was instead offered a full-time role. He first anchored the segment Ankhon Dekhi for around three years. He then became a senior news anchor and correspondent. In 2020 he was reportedly made senior consulting editor.
Reporting from Kashmir and Major Events
The same profile says he covered the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya, the 1993 Hazratbal siege in Srinagar, and later developments in Jammu & Kashmir, including the 2019 revocation of Article 370. It also says he received a journalism award from then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his Hazratbal reporting in 1994. These claims come from one secondary source and should be checked before relying on them.
Do Took on DD News
Do Took is Shrivastav’s primetime show on DD News. Trade publication exchange4media reported in July 2025 that the show was returning with a new slot, Monday to Friday at 10 PM from 21 July 2025, with Shrivastav back as host.
In 2024, media watchdog Newslaundry tracked more than 40 segments of the programme after the Lok Sabha elections. Its analysis concluded that most segments were critical of the opposition, followed by content it classified as misinformation and communal polarisation, with limited coverage of issues such as unemployment or inflation. Shrivastav’s and DD News’s response to that analysis was not found.
Author: Narendra Modi Uncensored (2019)
Shrivastav is credited as the author of a 2019 book about Narendra Modi (the title appears as both “Censored” and “Uncensored” in sources. Profiles say it draws on a 2014 interview he conducted with Modi, then Gujarat Chief Minister, which was reportedly not aired by DD News at the time.
Awards & Recognition
Secondary profiles list these honours, none of which I could verify from primary sources:
- Journalism award from Atal Bihari Vajpayee for Hazratbal crisis reporting (1994)
- Honoured by Purush Aayog on International Men’s Day, 19 November 2021, in Delhi
- India Pride Swadeshi Award at the House of Lords, UK (2023)
Ashok Shrivastav Controversies
This section summarises documented reports and official statements. It doesn’t take a position on any dispute, and all matters below involve allegations or contested claims.
Richa Chadha Row (2021)
In 2021, Shrivastav posted on X criticising the choice of brand ambassadors for a COVID-19 hospital-bed information initiative. Actor Richa Chadha responded by calling the remarks sexist, and The Tribune reported that actor Taapsee Pannu also criticised him. Shrivastav later deleted his tweet.
Arun Rajbhar Threat Complaint (2022)
In early 2022, after Shrivastav criticised an alleged assault on a journalist by security personnel of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Ghaziabad, Arun Rajbhar, a leader of an SP ally, posted a hostile reply saying journalists like him should be beaten. Shrivastav wrote to the Ghaziabad police about the threat. Police said at the time that they were looking into it.
JNU Students Clash on Set (February 2024)
Newslaundry reported that a Do Took special episode on “Brand Modi” ended in a physical altercation with JNU students in the audience, after they accused him of sounding like a party spokesperson. Shrivastav filed a police complaint, saying the disruption was provoked and planned. Accounts of who started the clash differ.
Alleged Car Attack (September 2024)
In September 2024, BJP-aligned voices claimed Shrivastav was targeted when an SUV rammed his car outside his office, a day after he joined a journalists’ protest at the Press Club of India. Whether this was a deliberate attack has not been established in sources found.
Uttar Pradesh FIRs over Bharat Samachar Posts (2025)
Reports in 2025 said UP Police filed five FIRs over social media posts allegedly defaming the Hindi news channel Bharat Samachar. The FIRs reportedly named Shrivastav and two others and invoked Section 66 of the IT Act. Shrivastav said on X that he was being targeted. The current status of these cases is unknown.
Telangana Police FIR over Rahul Gandhi Remarks (2026)
According to reports from May 2026, an FIR was registered in Hyderabad over remarks Shrivastav made during a DD News debate, in which he compared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi unfavourably with V.D. Savarkar. A Telangana Police team visited his Ghaziabad residence to serve a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, though he was reportedly not at home. Supporters described it as action against a journalist for speech, while the Congress side’s position was not found in sources reviewed. Whether he has since been questioned is unconfirmed.
CBSE Student Tweet and Apology (May 2026)
In May 2026, amid complaints about the CBSE answer-sheet re-evaluation portal, Shrivastav posted screenshots from a student’s X account and asked sarcastically whether Pakistanis had also taken the CBSE exam. The account showed a location outside India. The student’s family said the account was created to raise a grievance and that the location was a technical glitch. Shrivastav deleted the tweet and apologised, though his first clarification still asked about the account’s location. He then posted a further apology on 26 May. Newslaundry and Alt News both covered the episode critically.
Opposition Anchor Boycott List (2023)
Profiles note that he was named in a list of television anchors that the INDIA opposition alliance said it would boycott.
Personal Life
Ashok Shrivastav keeps his family life largely private. There is no credible, sourced information on his marriage or children, and online claims should be treated as unverified. According to a secondary profile, he names figures including Swami Vivekananda, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi as inspirations. He is active on X and has reportedly campaigned for transparency in journalists’ sources of income.
Ashok Shrivastav Net Worth
No credible, sourced estimate of Ashok Shrivastav’s net worth has been published, and this article doesn’t state a figure. Figures on gossip sites are speculation.
Ashok Shrivastav in 2026
In 2026, Shrivastav continues as host of Do Took on DD News. His year has been dominated by two stories in May. First came the Telangana Police FIR and the notice served at his home, reported around 3 May. Then came the CBSE student tweet controversy, which led to his public apologies on 25–26 May. No further developments from August or September 2026 were found in this research, and his legal position in the Telangana case is unconfirmed.
Shows, Programmes & Books
| Title | Type | Platform / Publisher | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankhon Dekhi | News segment | DD News | Anchor (reportedly ~3 years) |
| Do Took | Primetime debate show | DD News | Host (relaunched 21 July 2025, 10 PM) |
| Narendra Modi Uncensored (2019) | Book | Publisher not confirmed | Author |
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashok Shrivastav
Who is Ashok Shrivastav?
He is an Indian journalist and anchor at DD News (Doordarshan), best known for hosting the primetime debate show Do Took.
How old is Ashok Shrivastav?
His date of birth has not been publicly confirmed in credible sources, so his exact age isn’t known.
Who is Ashok Shrivastav’s wife?
There is no verified public information about his spouse or marital status. He keeps his personal life private.
What is Ashok Shrivastav’s net worth?
No reliable estimate has been published, so any figure online should be treated as speculation.
Which show does Ashok Shrivastav host?
He hosts Do Took on DD News, which returned on 21 July 2025 in a Monday-to-Friday 10 PM slot.
Why was an FIR filed against Ashok Shrivastav in Telangana?
Reports say it relates to his on-air remarks about Rahul Gandhi, which referenced V.D. Savarkar. Telangana Police served him a notice in May 2026. The case’s current status is unconfirmed.
What was the CBSE student tweet controversy?
In May 2026 he questioned whether a student complaining about CBSE re-evaluation was Pakistani, based on the account’s location. He later deleted the tweet and apologised.
Last updated: October 2026
