In Short:
After a four-year vacancy, the Indian government appointed Navneet Kumar Sehgal as the new Chairman of Prasar Bharati, the public broadcaster. Sehgal replaced A Surya Prakash and his appointment was made by the President upon the recommendation of a Selection Committee led by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Sehgal will provide leadership to Prasar Bharati, which oversees Doordarshan and All India Radio.
Indian Government Appoints Navneet Kumar Sehgal as Chairman of Prasar Bharati
Breaking a four-year vacancy, the Indian government has appointed Navneet Kumar Sehgal, a retired bureaucrat, as the new Chairman of Prasar Bharati, the country’s public service broadcaster. The appointment was made by the President upon the recommendation of a Selection Committee.
New Leadership for Prasar Bharati
In an order issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on March 15, 2024, it was stated, “The President, on the recommendation of the Selection Committee, is pleased to appoint Shri Navneet Kumar Sehgal, IAS (retd) as the Chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board with effect from the date of his assuming charge of the post for a term of three years or until he attains the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier.”
Sehgal replaces A Surya Prakash, whose tenure ended in February 2020 after reaching the upper age limit of 70 years for the position.
Key Selection Process
The appointment followed a crucial meeting chaired by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday to select the new chairman of the country’s public broadcaster. As the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar led the selection panel responsible for this decision.
The three-member panel comprised Dhankhar, Justice Ranjana Desai (retd), the Chairperson of the Press Council of India, and Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju.
Expectations for New Leadership
Prasar Bharati oversees the operations of Doordarshan, the national television network, and All India Radio, the national public radio broadcaster. The appointment of Sehgal as the new chairman is expected to provide fresh leadership and direction to the organization after a prolonged period without a permanent head.
With his extensive experience in the bureaucracy, Sehgal assumes the crucial responsibility of guiding Prasar Bharati in its mission to serve the diverse interests of the Indian public through its various platforms and channels.
