Sreenivasan Jain is an Indian journalist and broadcaster who spent nearly three decades at NDTV, where he anchored the field-reporting show Truth vs Hype. This Sreenivasan Jain biography covers his career from NDTV to his current work with Newslaundry and Al Jazeera English. In October 2026 he was reporting from the ground in Delhi on the Opposition’s march over the electoral roll revision.
Sreenivasan Jain Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Sreenivasan Jain (also called “Vasu” in some profiles) |
| Date of Birth | 21 November |
| Age | 56 (turns 57 on 21 November 2026), if 1969 is correct |
| Birthplace | India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Not publicly stated |
| Education | Rishi Valley School, Hindu College (Delhi University), University of Sussex |
| Profession | Journalist, TV anchor, author, adjunct faculty |
| Known For | Truth vs Hype (NDTV), leaving NDTV in 2023, Love Jihad and Other Fictions |
| Parents | Lakshmi Chand Jain (activist) and Devaki Jain (economist) |
| Spouse | Not publicly confirmed |
| Social Media | X: @SreenivasanJain |
Who Is Sreenivasan Jain?
Sreenivasan Jain is known for ground reportage and long-form interviews rather than studio-based news. He joined NDTV in 1995 as a reporter and rose to Group Editor before resigning on 28 January 2023. Since then he has worked across several outlets, including News24, Al Jazeera English and Newslaundry. He has also taught at O.P. Jindal Global University.
He has won some of Indian journalism’s best-known awards, and his political commentary has drawn strong praise and strong criticism. Both sides are covered below.
Early Life and Family
Jain comes from a prominent intellectual family. His mother, Devaki Jain, is an economist, and his father, Lakshmi Chand Jain, was a political activist. His grandfather, M. A. Sreenivasan, was a minister in the princely state of Mysore. Some low-reliability sites mention a brother named Gopal Jain, which we could not confirm with a credible source.
Sreenivasan Jain Education
He attended Rishi Valley School, Hindu College at Delhi University, and the University of Sussex in the UK. Sources disagree on the location of Rishi Valley School. The school is generally associated with Andhra Pradesh, but one profile places it in Delhi.
Sreenivasan Jain Career
NDTV Years (1995–2023)
Jain began as a reporter at NDTV in 1995. He served as Mumbai bureau chief from 2003 to 2008 and was briefly managing editor of the business channel Profit. He also wrote op-ed columns for Business Standard. His best-known show was the weekly Truth vs Hype on NDTV 24×7, in which he travelled to the location of a major story and reported from the ground. He also anchored Reality Check. In 2007 he won a World Silver Medal at the New York Festivals for a report on agrarian distress in Maharashtra.
Leaving NDTV (January 2023)
On 28 January 2023, Jain announced he was leaving NDTV after nearly three decades. Reports linked the exit to the Adani Group’s takeover of the network.
Teaching and News24 (2023)
In June 2023 he joined the Jindal School of Journalism and Communication as adjunct faculty, teaching investigative reportage. In October 2023 he joined News24 as Consulting Editor, anchoring a weekly reportage and interview show, Dateline India.
Al Jazeera English and Newslaundry (2024 onwards)
In March 2024 he presented The India Report, a four-part Al Jazeera English series ahead of India’s elections. In 2026 he has continued on Al Jazeera’s A Changing World? The Contest for Global Power, interviewing figures including Sajeeb Wazed Joy (January 2026), US Congressman Ro Khanna (July 2026) and Chinese strategist Zhou Bo (August 2026). He also reports for Newslaundry, an independent Indian digital outlet, where he returned to field reportage.
Author: Love Jihad and Other Fictions (2024)
With journalists Mariyam Alavi and Supriya Sharma, Jain co-wrote Love Jihad and Other Fictions: Simple Facts to Counter Viral Falsehoods (Aleph, 2024). The book examines claims such as “love jihad,” “population jihad,” forced conversions and Muslim appeasement. It was launched on 31 January 2024 in Delhi.
Awards and Recognition
- 2006: Best Anchor, News/Current Affairs, Indian Television Academy Awards
- 2014: Ramnath Goenka Award, Journalist of the Year (for Truth vs Hype; one source cites 2012
- 2015: Journalist of the Year, RedInk Awards (Press Club, Mumbai)
- 2016: Anchor of the Year, ENBA Awards
He is also a multiple winner at the ENBA and News Television Awards.
Controversies and Criticism
Reliance defamation suit (2018). In October 2018, three companies of the Reliance Group filed a ₹10,000 crore defamation suit in an Ahmedabad court against NDTV, its executive co-chairman Prannoy Roy and Jain. It concerned a Truth vs Hype episode on the Rafale deal, broadcast on 29 September 2018. The complaint alleged Jain glossed over later clarifications by former French President François Hollande. NDTV rejected the defamation charge and called the suit an attempt to intimidate the media. Press-freedom groups including RSF and CPJ criticised the suit.
Covaxin tweet (2021). In August 2021 Jain apologised after a tweet about initial Covaxin batches caused alarm, according to Newslaundry.
Criticism from right-leaning outlets. Outlets such as OpIndia have criticised Jain repeatedly. They cite a past remark about the Ishrat Jahan case and his reported surety bond for Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in July 2022. OpIndia also criticised his joining Al Jazeera. Jain’s supporters describe his work as accountability journalism.
Reactions to his book. Business Standard and The Week reviewed Love Jihad and Other Fictions favourably, praising its research. Critics from the Hindu right rejected its premise. ThePrint’s account of the book launch took a critical view of the event itself.
Sreenivasan Jain Personal Life
Jain keeps his personal life private. We could not find a credible source confirming his marital status, so we have not stated one.
Sreenivasan Jain Net Worth
There is no credible estimate of Sreenivasan Jain’s net worth. Websites listing figures cite no sources, so none is given here.
Sreenivasan Jain in 2026
In 2026, Jain is active as a field reporter and interviewer. On 12 October 2026, Newslaundry published his on-the-ground coverage of INDIA bloc leaders and thousands of protesters marching towards the Supreme Court. They were demanding accountability from the Election Commission and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. That same month he was also asking young voters in Uttar Pradesh about the 2027 state election.
On Al Jazeera English, he has continued interviewing global figures on A Changing World? In July 2026 he also spoke with Mehdi Hasan on Zeteo about press freedom in India and the United States.
Sreenivasan Jain Shows and Books
| Year | Title | Platform/Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 1995–2023 | Truth vs Hype | NDTV 24×7 |
| Various | Reality Check | NDTV |
| 2023 | Dateline India | News24 |
| 2024 | The India Report | Al Jazeera English |
| 2026 | A Changing World? The Contest for Global Power | Al Jazeera English |
| 2024 | Love Jihad and Other Fictions (co-author) | Aleph Book Company |
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Sreenivasan Jain?
Wikipedia lists his birth as 21 November 1969, which would make him 56 in November 2026. Other sources give no year.
Why did Sreenivasan Jain leave NDTV?
He announced his exit on 28 January 2023, and reports linked it to the Adani Group’s takeover of the network.
Where does Sreenivasan Jain work now?
He presents for Al Jazeera English, reports for Newslaundry, and is adjunct faculty at O.P. Jindal Global University.
Who are Sreenivasan Jain’s parents?
His parents are economist Devaki Jain and political activist Lakshmi Chand Jain.
What is Sreenivasan Jain’s net worth?
No reliable, verified figure is available.
What is the controversy around Sreenivasan Jain?
The best-documented controversy is the ₹10,000 crore Reliance defamation suit over his 2018 Rafale episode. He has also been criticised by right-leaning outlets, while supporters praise his reporting.
Last updated: November 2026
