Palki Sharma biography: Palki Sharma Upadhyay is an Indian journalist and media entrepreneur, known worldwide for her prime-time global affairs shows Gravitas on WION and Vantage on Firstpost. In 2026 she left Network18 and announced India Global Review (IGR), a digital-first global media company headquartered in India and focused on world affairs through an Indian lens.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Palki Sharma Upadhyay (publicly known as Palki Sharma) |
| Date of Birth | 29 May 1982 |
| Age (November 2026) | 44 years |
| Birthplace | Pilani, Rajasthan, India |
| Raised In | Delhi (per multiple profiles) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu (per profiles) |
| Education | Sources conflict, see Education section |
| Profession | Journalist, news anchor, media founder |
| Known For | Gravitas (WION), Vantage (Firstpost), founder of India Global Review |
| Spouse | Sanket Upadhyay (reportedly married 2008) |
| Children | Reportedly a daughter, Manya |
| Business Ventures | Reyva (saree brand), India Global Review (media company) |
| Social Media | X: @palkisu; Instagram: ; YouTube: IGR / The Palki Sharma Show |
Who Is Palki Sharma?
Palki Sharma is one of India’s best-known English-language news presenters, with a reputation built on explaining foreign affairs to an Indian audience. Her format is a fast, opinionated nightly explainer on geopolitics, trade, and diplomacy. It made her a recognisable name on YouTube as well as television.
She has more than 24 years of experience across television, print and digital media. Her career moved from state broadcaster Doordarshan to print, then to a private English news channel. She went on to lead international news programming at WION and Firstpost, and in 2026 she became a founder. Her coverage is framed from an Indian perspective, which supporters value and critics question.
Early Life & Family
Palki Sharma was born on 29 May 1982 in Pilani, Rajasthan, and raised in Delhi. One profile reports that her father encouraged her to pursue medicine. She has described journalism as something she arrived at rather than planned.
Reliable information about her parents and siblings is limited. Some profile sites name a sister, Sanchita, but the information is thin, so treat it as unconfirmed.
Education
Her education is documented inconsistently across the web, and no authoritative source resolved it:
- Schooling: Several profiles say Loreto Convent, Tara Hall, Shimla, and one adds a school in Jaipur.
- College (Version A): A BA in English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University, and a Master’s in Mass Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia.
- College (Version B): Other profiles list the ICG Institute for Educational Research and Development and Alliance Française de Delhi, with a master’s degree in communication and journalism.
Because these accounts conflict, her exact qualifications are not confirmed. A verified source such as her LinkedIn profile or an official biography would settle it.
Career
Early Years: Doordarshan and Hindustan Times (2002–2005)
Palki Sharma started her career with Doordarshan in 2002 as a news anchor and reporter. She joined Hindustan Times in 2004 as a staff writer, covering civic and social issues. She also did copy-editing and film reviews there. In 2007 she received a Best News Reader Award.
CNN-IBN / CNN-News18 (2005–c. 2016)
In 2005 she joined CNN-News18 as an anchor and senior editor, then known as CNN-IBN. One profile puts her tenure at about eleven years before she moved to WION.
WION and Gravitas (c. 2016/17–2022)
At Zee Media’s WION, she became managing editor and hosted the prime-time show Gravitas. Newslaundry reported that she had been at the channel since 2017, though some profiles give an earlier date.
Gravitas positioned itself as India’s international news-and-views prime-time show. During this period she won the IAA “TV Anchor of the Year” award (2021) and recognition at the ENBA awards. In September 2022 she resigned from WION and hosted her last Gravitas episode.
Firstpost and Vantage (2023–2026)
After a legal dispute with her former employer (see Controversies), she joined Network18 as a managing editor. The prime-time show Vantage launched on 26 January 2023, hosted by Palki Sharma Upadhyay, on Firstpost’s YouTube channel and website. A ThePrint profile reported that viewership rose more than 600 per cent within five months and the channel crossed two million subscribers in seven months.
Vantage covered major stories including India–Pakistan tensions and Operation Sindoor, from an Indian perspective.
India Global Review (2026–present)
On 29 January 2026 it was reported that she had decided to step down as managing editor of Firstpost to launch her own venture. Network18’s Santosh Menon told staff she would stay with the company until March.
On 7 May 2026, IGR was formally announced. It is a digital-first platform with a planned rollout across the United States, Europe, West Asia, South Asia and Africa, and distribution across internet platforms and connected TV. The company said it had secured backing from institutional investors without naming them and launched a hiring drive for international bureaus and reporters.
At a birthday-day event, she said the idea crystallised during the night of Operation Sindoor, and that IGR is a digital-first platform, not a traditional television channel. She also said IGR will cover Indian politics, but not the way many Indian news outlets do.
Awards & Recognition
| Year | Award | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Best News Reader Award | Listed in an awardee profile |
| 2020 | ENBA, Best International News Show (English), Gravitas | Reported in multiple profiles |
| 2021 | IAA Leadership Awards, TV Anchor of the Year | Held 24 September 2021 in Mumbai |
| 2022 | K R Malkani Memorial Award for Excellence in English Journalism | Organiser-Panchjanya Awards |
| 2023 | Bharat Asmita Jana Jagaran Shreshta Award | Per profile listing |
Controversies
Zee Media vs. Palki Sharma (2022)
After she left WION, Zee Media went to court in October 2022, seeking Rs 2 crore in damages and a declaration that she had breached her contract and notice policy. Zee argued she had violated notice and non-compete terms. In November 2022 the Delhi High Court declined to restrain her from joining TV18 but barred her from disclosing confidential information that could harm Zee’s interests.
Criticism of her editorial stance
Her shows have drawn both praise and criticism over their tone. A ThePrint profile described her as a prominent voice for India’s perspective on global affairs and noted the backlash her shows have attracted. Supporters say she explains global politics clearly from an Indian viewpoint. Critics say that framing leans toward the government’s position. Where Vantage covers India–Pakistan conflicts, Pakistan’s military has rejected India’s portrayal of Operation Sindoor as a victory, so the two sides’ accounts differ.
Deepfake videos
Fact-checker Alt News reported that a video purporting to show her reporting on Sonam Wangchuk’s death in custody was a digitally altered deepfake, built from a Vantage episode. The claim about Wangchuk was false.
Personal Life
Palki Sharma is reported to be married to journalist Sanket Upadhyay. Most profile sites say they married in 2008 and that he has worked at NDTV, but she rarely discusses family publicly.
Reports on children conflict: some sites name a daughter, Manya, and others also mention a son. This should not be published as fact until confirmed.
Outside journalism, she founded the designer saree brand Reyva. She launched it in 2016.
Net worth: No credible outlet has published a verified figure. Celebrity-profile sites list estimates from roughly $700,000 to several million dollars, and these are unverified and inconsistent. Her actual earnings, especially from IGR, are unknown.
Palki Sharma in 2026
2026 is the biggest career change of her working life. She left Network18 in the first quarter, and by 7 May had announced IGR as a founder-led global newsroom. IGR then began releasing videos. A soft launch had begun, with a world news review programme promised within weeks, and IGR’s YouTube channel now carries The Palki Sharma Show, described as a news, opinions and current affairs show.
She is now chief executive of a start-up in an industry that, in her own words, is both the best and worst time to start a media company, given the churn from AI.
Career Timeline
| Years | Organisation | Role / Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2002–2004 | Doordarshan | News anchor and reporter |
| 2004–2005 | Hindustan Times | Staff writer |
| 2005–c. 2016 | CNN-IBN / CNN-News18 | Anchor, senior editor |
| c. 2016/17–2022 | WION (Zee Media) | Managing editor; Gravitas |
| 2023–2026 | Firstpost (Network18) | Managing editor; Vantage |
| 2026–present | India Global Review | Founder; The Palki Sharma Show |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Palki Sharma?
Palki Sharma Upadhyay is an Indian journalist and media entrepreneur, known for hosting Gravitas on WION and Vantage on Firstpost, and now the founder of India Global Review.
2. How old is Palki Sharma?
She was born on 29 May 1982, which makes her 44 as of November 2026.
3. Who is Palki Sharma’s husband?
Reports say she is married to journalist Sanket Upadhyay, reportedly since 2008. She keeps her family life largely private.
4. Why did Palki Sharma leave Firstpost?
Reports from late January 2026 said she stepped down as managing editor of Firstpost to launch her own venture. That venture was announced in May 2026 as India Global Review.
5. What is India Global Review (IGR)?
IGR is a digital-first media company headquartered in India that covers world affairs from an Indian perspective. It is planned for rollout across the United States, Europe, West Asia, South Asia and Africa.
6. Why did Palki Sharma leave WION?
She resigned in September 2022, and no single official reason was stated in the reports found. She then joined Network18, and her former employer Zee Media sued her, which became a court case.
7. What is Palki Sharma’s net worth?
There is no verified figure. Online estimates vary widely and no credible source confirms them.
Last updated: November 2026
