Pradeep Bhandari is an Indian journalist, author, psychologist, and News Director of ITV’s “India News” channel. He is the founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of JanKiBaat.
Wiki/Biography
Pradeep Bhandari was born on Sunday, June 30, 1985, in Indore, India (age 30 in 2023). His zodiac sign is Cancer. He attended Cambridge International School, Indore. He received his bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka, in 2012. He also studied Economic Reasoning and Public Policy at Takshashila College. He has received certification in story writing from Aaina Manipal, Centrestage Bangalore and FTI Indore. In 2015, when Pradeep Bhandari saw a debate on TV, he realized the power of social media and wanted to add some of his own perspective to it, and to do so, he wrote in his A video was posted on his Facebook profile. He then started weekly discussions on various ongoing issues and realized that many people wanted to contribute their ideas to it, which ultimately led him to pursue a career in journalism.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′ 9″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
family
Pradeep Bhandari was born into a Hindu family.
parents and siblings
Pradeep Bhandari’s father Dilip Bhandari is a retired police officer. His mother, Rajni Bhandari, is a health worker with Thalassemia and Child Welfare, an NGO in Indore.
Happy birthday dad. You and mom have always inspired us to work hard, fulfill our responsibilities, and serve the country and society. We are so lucky to have you and mom as our parents. #SundayThoughts pic.twitter.com/y6yDsxSRyb
— Pradip Bhandari (प्रदीप भंडरी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) August 30, 2020
He has two sisters: Shubhra Bhandari and Shilpa Bhandari.
happy #RakshaBandhan. I am blessed to have two older sisters who gave me courage and instilled Dharma values in me. Our culture is rich in historical significance. Draupadi once tore a piece from her sari and tied it around the injured finger of Lord Krishna who had been protecting her. pic.twitter.com/oVr6xCXiSO
— Pradip Bhandari (प्रदीप भंडरी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) August 22, 2021
wife and children
Pradeep Bhandari married Sagarika Mitra on June 26, 2021. She is a broadcast journalist and the content director of Jan Ki Baat.
In your love I found myself, in your love I found meaning, in your love I found infinity. On June 26, with the blessings of our parents and relatives, Sagarika and I read our wedding vows.We seek your blessings as we begin writing this new chapter of our lives pic.twitter.com/D5mu0CquQX
— Pradip Bhandari (प्रदीप भंडरी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) June 28, 2021
Religion/Religious Views
Pradeep Bhandari believes in Hinduism.
Profession
Pradeep Bhandari first entered the corporate world in 2012 as a digital design intern at Texas Instruments. After the internship, he worked as a design engineer at ST-Ericsson for nine months. Meanwhile, he started his own company in Bengaluru called Orange Revolution, which works with the Bengaluru district administration and various stakeholders to enhance women’s safety. In 2013, he served as Youth Coordinator at Thalassemia and Child Welfare, an NGO founded by his mother. In 2014, he taught at Pink Flower Public School in Indore for seven months after the Prime Minister called on all educated youth to spend one hour a week teaching children in local community schools.
Journalism
In 2016, Bhandari launched a platform called ‘Jan Ki Baat’. The platform was initially run by volunteers on the ground who posted live video, audio, photos and text from their phones to discuss local, national and social issues on social media. Jan Ki Baat conducts weekly live debates on its social media channels, where panelists read out comments, answer audience questions and discuss various issues. Bhandari said in an interview,
Millennials want to understand, contribute, express and debate things that are not possible in one-dimensional media like television. “
Jan Ki Baat’s attention slowly turned towards predicting elections through opinion polls and exit polls. Having predicted over 36 Indian elections, Pradeep Bhandari is one of the most recognizable faces among Indian psychologists. Later, he started working as a Consulting Editor at Republic Media Network and hosted a popular show ‘Lalkaar’ on Republic TV.
Pradeep Bhandari on show ‘Lalkaar’
In February 2021, he resigned from Republic TV. In August 2022, he joined “News India”, a Hindi news channel of ITV Network, as news director. On July 19, 2021, “News India” launched a new prime time show called “Janta ka Mukadama” hosted by Pradeep Bhandari. It’s a one-hour show, airing weekdays at 8pm, designed to deliver fearless conversations through investigative stories, sting operations, on-the-ground reporting and incisive debate.
Pradeep Bhandari on show ‘Janta ka Mukadama’
author
In 2019, Pradeep Bhandari wrote a book titled Modi Mandate 2019: Dispatches from Ground Zero, published by Rupa Publications. This is a widely read book based on his extensive ground work in over 400 Lok Sabha constituencies. These include his conversations with ordinary Indian voters from different Lok Sabha constituencies.
Pradeep Bhandari’s debut novel
dispute
Civil action for irresponsible reporting
In October 2020, Pradeep Bhandari was criticized by some media houses for their irresponsible role in the drug case involving Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. Lawsuits were filed against reporters from Republic TV and Times Now over their reporting. The suit was filed in the Delhi High Court by 34 Bollywood producers and four film industry associations. According to the suit, the news channel violated the Program Code under Section 5 of the Cable Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, which is contained in Rule 6 of the Cable Networks Rules, 1994.
Mumbai police complaint
In October 2020, police filed a case against Pradeep Bhandari for “obstructing public servants” during the demolition of actress Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow in September 2020 “. The complaint was registered under Section 188 (Disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public officer). Section 353 of IPC (deterring public servant from discharge of duty by assault or criminal force) and Sections 37(1), 135 of Bombay Police Act. Pradeep Bhandari claimed that he was illegally detained by Mumbai police. Mumbai police filed a petition to cancel Bhandari’s anticipatory bail, but it was dismissed by the court in March and the police were asked to conclude the investigation and submit a report.
Congress party’s Tripura unit files complaint against Pradeep Bhandari
On February 14, 2023, Congress leaders Dr Ajoy Kumar and Gaurav Gogoi accused Bhandari of violating the Model Code of Conduct during the state elections. On February 10, Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao issued some directives regarding public opinion and exit polls. In line with these directives, no opinion polls and exit polls will be released between February 14 and 27. However, the Jan Ki Baat polls were released on February 13.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- In February 2012, he won the Global Diplomacy Award for representing Iran in discussions on “Geopolitical Issues in the Middle East.”
- In October 2014, he was awarded the Youth Leadership Award by My Parliament, which organized the first Youth Parliament in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- Pradeep Bhandari received the ‘Sanskritik’ from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Yodha Puraskaar 2023” Medal.
Pradeep Bhandari takes up Sanskrit Yodha Puraskaar
Facts / Trivia
- Pradeep Bhandari works out and lifts weights regularly to stay in shape and often shares his workouts on Instagram.
- On September 24, 2020, many reporters gathered outside the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office to report on the drug case involved in the death case of Sushant Singh Rajput. An altercation broke out between journalists from Republic TV, NDTV and ABP News Channel, leading to one of them slapping Pradeep Bhandari. A video of the incident went viral on social media.
जनते है महर्ष्ट्र में सच बोलने की क़ीमत क्या है ?कर्ट ेल के नमी-गिरररी हो रहे ह ै, उनकर ग़ुस्सर और बढ़तरजरहर है।जब पुलिस DTV को मेरे परस हथपरई करने भेज दियर। लेकिन मैं टूटने वालों में से नहीं हूँ। pic.twitter.com/z2fvH2KkUK
— Pradip Bhandari (प्रदीप भंडरी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) September 24, 2020
- In his spare time, he enjoys traveling.
- Pradeep Bhandari’s reporting style is considered highly provocative by the public.
- At the 12th NEWSNEXT SUMMIT in 2023, when asked about the possibilities of AI anchors and reporters, Pradeep Bhandari said,
Many channels may be considering using robot anchors, but let’s be honest, AI won’t be able to express human emotions. We must understand that true emotions are uncontrollable and sometimes it may be exaggerated, but exaggeration does not mean it is wrong. However, at the end of the day, I believe the people of this country, the audience, are the biggest decision makers. In addition, a well-read reporter must have his own point of view, which is also the core of journalism. To me, journalism is not about reading news, it is about expressing opinions based on facts. “
- As of 2023, Jan Ki Baat has made 33 accurate election predictions.
Success Predictions for Jan Ki Baat
- The Hindi version of his book “Modi Mandate 2019” is called “मोदी विजयगरथर”.
- Pradeep Bhandari is a tea lover.
- Pradeep Bhandari’s father Dilip Bhandari was awarded the Presidential Medal of Valor for bravery.
- Pradeep Bhandari is learning Kannada.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education