Former Doordarshan newsreader Sarla Maheshwari passes away
text_fields
AI enhanced.
New Delhi: Former Doordarshan newsreader Sarla Maheshwari, one of TV's most recognised faces in the 80s and 90s who embodied a calm far removed from the clamour of televised news bulletins today, died here on Thursday. She was 71, PTI reported.
Maheshwari was the familiar face of TV news from 1976 right up till 2005, along with Salma Sultan, Minu Talwar, Shammi Narang, Geetanjali Aiyer, Neeti Ravindran and others, their very names evoking nostalgia of India's broadcasting and its evolution from black and white to colour. The days when broadcasts were limited to a few hours a day, and when there was only one channel to watch.
Her death -- first announced by co-anchor and friend Shammi Narang -- was mourned by her colleagues, friends, the Congress and just old-time viewers who recalled her quietude, poise and her distinctive 'seedha palla' sari.
"I feel utmost grief in announcing the sad demise of my ex co-News anchor at Doordarshan, Sarala Maheshwari... Beautiful not just in appearance but even more so at heart, she had a remarkable command over language and was a reservoir of knowledge. Her presence on the Doordarshan screen had a unique aura," Narang posted on X and Instagram.
"A heartfelt tribute from the Doordarshan family to Smt. Sarla Maheshwari. She was a respected and esteemed newsreader of Doordarshan, who carved out a special place in the Indian news world with her gentle voice, precise pronunciation, and dignified presentation. Her simplicity, restraint, and personality established deep trust in the hearts of viewers," Doordarshan National said in a post on 'X'.
