Salma Sultan is a former Indian News reader. She has also directed many popular TV shows on Doordarshan. She is known for her style statement as a DD news anchor.
Wiki/Biography
Salma Sultan was born on Sunday, March 16, 1947 (age 76; as of 2023). Her zodiac sign is Pisces. She went to school in Sultanpur, Madhya Pradesh and completed her graduation in Bhopal. She pursued her MA in English Literature from Indraprastha Women’s College, Delhi. She auditioned for Durdarshan Announcer during her graduation.
appearance
Height (approximately): black
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
Her father, Mohammed Asghar Ansari, was an academic and secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, and her mother was a housewife. Salma’s sister Maimoona Sultan is a member of the Indian National Congress. Maimouna died in 2006.
husband and children
Salma Sultan is married to Aamir Kidwai who works for Engineers India Ltd. She and her husband have a son and a daughter. Her son Saad Kidwai is an income tax commissioner and daughter Sana is a choreographer.
Profession
news reader
Salma started her career in 1967 as an announcer in Delhi’s Doordarshan. Pratima Puri and Gopal Kaul were the famous faces of Doordarshan at that time. When Gopal Kaur refused to continue as an anchor and shaved her head to refuse to read news, Salma got the chance to become a news reader. It was then that Salma Sultan was asked to take his place. She worked as a news anchor in Doordarshan for more than three decades. She earned a reputation and respect for her poised approach to journalism. People used to wait for her appearance on television on Sunday mornings. Even now, she is remembered by the rose she wore in her hair, which became her style statement as a famous news anchor.
director
After working as a news anchor in Doordarshan for more than three decades, Salma chose directing television shows as her new career. She directed many of the famous shows of the time. Her first drama, Panchtantra Se, was a huge hit. She also produced programs based on social issues faced by women in society such as Jalte Sawal, which was telecast on DD News in 2004. She has directed a documentary called Doordarshan Kuch Baatein Kuch Yaadein to showcase the history of Doordarshan.
designer
In 2019, 72-year-old Salma Sultan made her ramp debut as a sari designer. She manages a saree brand called Saree Sanskriti, which promotes the tradition of saree weaving.
Salma Sultan with models from her brand Saree Sanskriti
salary
At the beginning of her career as a newscaster, she earned Rs 2,000 per month.
Facts/Trivia
- On October 31, 1984, Salma Sultan was the anchor who announced the assassination of Indira Gandhi to the people of India.
- Salma is one of the newscasters who has experienced the transition from black-and-white television to television with people of color.
- She has worked with rising anchors of the time like Sarla Maheshwari, Minu Talwar, Sheila Chaman, etc.
Salma Sultan (second from left) with Sara Maheshwari, Sheela Chaman and Minu Talwar
- Salma said in an interview that she used to observe news anchor Pratima Puri very carefully and learned the art of reading TV news from her.
- In an interview, Salma revealed the secret behind her saree look and said;
I used to drape my sarees in a V shape because I didn’t have many blouses to go with every saree. So, to hide her blouse, she started designing her saree which turned out to be a style statement. ”
- Later, her saree look was adopted by many news anchors.
- She loved writing poetry, dancing and music. When talking about this in an interview, she recited a couplet she wrote –
खुली आंखों से देखें ख्वब, तो तबीरें उबरती हैं, ज ”
- She has a keen interest in interior design. She designed all the interiors of her own house and that of her friends.
- Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962) was her favorite film.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education