Gaurav Sawant biography: Gaurav Chitranjan Sawant is an Indian television journalist, news anchor and author. Since 28 April 2025 he has anchored the 8 PM prime-time show India First on India Today TV. He is best known for reporting on the 1999 Kargil War and for his defence and security coverage. During the India–Pakistan hostilities of May 2025, India First became a widely watched prime-time programme. That coverage is a major reason he is searched for in Pakistan today.
Gaurav Sawant Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full / Real Name | Gaurav Chitranjan Sawant |
| Date of Birth | 28 February (birth year not confirmed) |
| Age | |
| Birthplace | Delhi, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Education | St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi |
| Profession | Journalist, news anchor, author |
| Current Role | Managing Editor, India Today TV; anchor of India First |
| Known For | Kargil War reporting, Dateline Kargil, defence coverage, India First |
| Spouse | Aditi Arora Sawant, a journalist (per a single profile site) |
| Children | A daughter, reportedly named Vidushi |
| X (Twitter) | @gauravcsawant |
| Net Worth | No credible published figure |
Who Is Gaurav Sawant?
Gaurav Sawant is one of the most recognisable faces of Indian English-language television news. He has more than three decades of reporting experience and has covered events including the Kargil War, the Kandahar hijack, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pulwama and Uri. His assignments have taken him to conflict zones in Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, Ukraine and Israel, and to the sites of the 7/7 and 21/7 London bombings.
He is also a polarising figure. Admirers credit him with ground reporting and defence expertise. Critics, including media watchdogs, have questioned the accuracy of some of his broadcasts. Both views are covered in the sections below.
Early Life and Family
Public information about his childhood is limited and comes mostly from profile websites rather than established news outlets. According to one such site, his father is Brigadier Chitranjan Naresh Sawant and his mother is Sudha Sawant. The same site says he has two sisters: Richa, a lecturer at Delhi University, and Shikha, who works in Germany.
Education
Profile sites list him as an alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University.
He has also taught. Reporting on the 2018 allegations against him said he had been a guest lecturer at Amity University, where one of the accusers was a student.
Gaurav Sawant Career
1990s: Indian Express and the Kargil War
He began his career as a crime reporter at The Indian Express, where he worked from 1994 to 2002. His breakthrough came in 1999. The Caravan wrote that he became an overnight star in the late 1990s, and that his reporting from the Kargil battlefront in 1999 was crucial to his success. His book Dateline Kargil: A Correspondent’s Nine-Week Account from the Battlefront grew out of that assignment.
2002–2008: Star News
After leaving The Indian Express he moved into television with Star News.
2008–2024: TV Today Network and Headlines Today / India Today TV
He joined the TV Today Network in 2008 and was later promoted to senior executive editor. His title in the 2018 allegation coverage was Executive Editor. At that time the channel was still known as Headlines Today. In the 2020 India–China Galwan standoff, he was reported to be the first journalist to file a report from Daulat Beg Oldie, at about 16,900 feet. Profile sites also say he reported on the Libyan civil war and from Turkey after the 2023 earthquake.
2025: India First and Operation Sindoor
On 28 April 2025 he took over the 8 PM slot on India Today TV with India First, replacing Newstrack. He now holds the title of Managing Editor. Within days, India and Pakistan were in open conflict after the Pahalgam attack. Trade coverage said his nightly broadcasts became appointment viewing during the crisis.
At a December 2025 media summit, Sawant said India Today TV prioritised verified facts over being first, and that mistakes made during the coverage were addressed publicly. He added that the channel ran a round-the-clock fact-checking team and an open-source intelligence unit. He also said hostile actors circulated false information during the operation. Separately, the International Federation of Journalists published a critical commentary on Indian prime-time television in general. It described widespread misreporting and fabricated claims during the conflict. That commentary assessed Indian news channels collectively, not Sawant individually.
Awards and Recognition
- One profile site says he was the first journalist to receive Para Wings from the Indian Navy, in 2007.
- India Today says he completed five para jumps for the Navy honour, including an assisted free fall from a Sea King helicopter at INS Dega, and eight jumps in total.
- He created the Veergatha pictorial series for schoolchildren, with proceeds going to families of armed forces personnel.
- A profile site mentions awards at the ENBA 2019 ceremony.
Gaurav Sawant Controversies
2018 #MeToo allegations
In November 2018, The Caravan published a report by journalist Vidya Krishnan alleging that Sawant sexually harassed and assaulted her on a reporting trip to Beas in 2003. A second journalist, Kanika Gahlaut, also made a public allegation against him. Sawant called Krishnan’s allegations baseless and said he would take full legal action. India Today said it could not investigate the matter because he was not employed by the organisation in 2003, and that it had asked him for an explanation. One profile site says he filed defamation notices against Krishnan and The Caravan. These are allegations, which he has denied.
Media criticism of his reporting
In a January 2021 piece, Newslaundry criticised several of his past broadcasts. These included a 2017 prime-time report on an alleged mutilation in Karnataka that rested on social media rumours, and a 2016 “exclusive” video of a stone-pelter’s confession. That is the outlet’s assessment.
On-air clash with Rajdeep Sardesai (2025)
During an India Today panel on whether India should boycott Pakistan in sport and culture, Sawant argued for severing all ties. He used the phrase “bloody Turks” while discussing Pakistan’s affiliations. Colleague Rajdeep Sardesai condemned his characterisation of Pakistanis. Sawant defended himself and said Sardesai was interrupting him.
Deepfake video (2026)
In 2026, an AI-generated video circulated showing Sawant supposedly reporting that US Vice President JD Vance would not reach Pakistan. The Quint’s fact-check found it was a deepfake. It was made from a real broadcast of 9 April about a call between the Pakistani and Lebanese prime ministers. Sawant did not make the claim shown in the video.
Personal Life
One profile site says Sawant is married to Aditi Arora Sawant, a journalist and news anchor, and that they have a daughter. I found no confirmation from Sawant himself or from a major news outlet, so treat this as unconfirmed. His X bio line also stresses that he is not a “news anchor” in the way others label him. He is reportedly a motorcycle enthusiast, but that comes only from fan-style profile pages.
Gaurav Sawant in 2026
As of the latest dated reporting I could find, Sawant is Managing Editor of India Today TV and anchors India First at 8 PM. In December 2025 he was still described that way at an industry summit. His name drew wider attention in 2026 when a deepfake video falsely attributed a Pakistan-related claim to him. Searches for him from Pakistan remain linked to his India–Pakistan coverage.
Gaurav Sawant Books, Shows and Career Milestones
| Year | Milestone | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–2002 | The Indian Express | Crime reporter, later covered Kargil |
| 1999 | Kargil War | Frontline reporting |
| [VERIFY] | Dateline Kargil | Non-fiction account of the war |
| 2002–2008 | Star News | TV journalist |
| 2008 onward | TV Today Network | Later Executive Editor, then Managing Editor |
| 2007 | Indian Navy Para Wings | Reported honour |
| 2020 | Galwan standoff | Reported from Daulat Beg Oldie |
| 2025 | India First (8 PM) | Prime-time anchor, India Today TV |
Gaurav Sawant FAQs
What is Gaurav Sawant’s age?
His date of birth is given as 28 February, but I could not find a reliable source for the birth year. His age is therefore not confirmed here.
Who is Gaurav Sawant’s wife?
One profile site names her as Aditi Arora Sawant, a journalist. This has not been confirmed by a major outlet or by Sawant himself.
Which show does Gaurav Sawant anchor?
He has anchored India First on India Today TV at 8 PM since 28 April 2025.
What is Gaurav Sawant’s net worth?
No credible, sourced figure has been published. Websites that quote one do not cite their sources, so it is best to treat any number as speculation.
What was the 2018 allegation against Gaurav Sawant?
In 2018, journalist Vidya Krishnan alleged in The Caravan that he sexually harassed her in 2003. Sawant denied it and said he would take legal action.
Is the viral video of Gaurav Sawant about JD Vance and Pakistan real?
No. The Quint’s fact-check found it was an AI-generated deepfake built from a different India Today broadcast.
Is Gaurav Sawant an author?
Yes. He wrote Dateline Kargil: A Correspondent’s Nine-Week Account from the Battlefront.
Last updated: October 2026
