Ghazal Builders at 14:39, 24 February 2026

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{{short description|Indian anchor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anjana Om Kashyap
| image = Anjana Om Kashyap.png
| caption = Kashyap in 2021
| birth_date = 
| citizenship =
| education =
| birth_place = [[Ranchi]], [[Bihar]] (now [[Jharkhand]]), India
| occupation = Journalism, [[news presenter]]
| alma mater = *[[Jamia Millia Islamia]]
*[[Delhi University]]
| alias =
| spouse = Mangesh Kashyap
| title =
| children = 2
| employer = [[Aaj Tak]]
| years_active = 2003 – 2025
| credits =
| agent =
| net_worth =
}}
'''Anjana Om Kashyap''' is an Indian news anchor working with Hindi news channel [[Aaj Tak]] as a Managing Editor.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kashyap |first=Anjana Om |date=15 July 2015 |title=Guest Column: Lynching on Social Media: Anjana Om Kashyap |url=https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/guest-columnlynching-on-social-mediaanjana-om-kashyap-60798.html |website=Exchange 4 Media |access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref> Kashyap started her journalistic career by joining the public broadcaster [[Doordarshan]] before moving to [[Zee News]]. She then went to [[News 24 (India)|News 24]] before settling into [[Aaj Tak]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=What's gone wrong with TV news in India |url=https://thedailyeye.info/thought-box/what-s-gone-wrong-with-tv-news-in-india/5668de8c7d6ada1a |website=thedailyeye.info |access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Kashyap was born in a middle-class family to Omprakash Tiwari in [[Ranchi]], then in [[Bihar]].<ref name=":0" /> Her father was a doctor on short-service-commission with the [[Indian Army]], and served during the [[Bangladesh War of Liberation]].<ref name=":0" />

Kashyap had her schooling at Loreto Convent, a local [[Catholic school]] and then from [[Delhi Public School, Ranchi]].<ref name=":0" /> She went on to pursue an honours in Botany from the [[University of Delhi]]. Kashyap went on to appear for the [[All India Pre Medical Test]] but failed to pass.<ref name=":0" /> She was a prolific debater and exhibited strong leadership qualities since childhood, having become the head-girl in both the schools and the president of her college hostel.<ref name=":0" />

After a few years, she enrolled at the [[Delhi School of Social Work]], for her post-graduation. Kashyap mentions that the curricula and field visits inculcated a spirit of public activism in her.<ref name=":0" />

== Career ==
Kashyap's first job was as a [[Mental health counselor|counselor]] at the [[Daewoo Motors]];, however she resigned soon after an year.<ref name=":0" /> She then joined an NGO in the roles of a legal counselor.<ref name=":0" />

=== Journalism ===
In the early 2000s, Kashyap opted for a diploma in journalism, from [[Jamia Millia Islamia]].<ref name=":0" /> Upon graduation, she joined [[Doordarshan]], where she was assigned to the news-desk of ''Aankhon Dekhi'', an investigative show but was also allotted infrequent reporting duties.<ref name=":0" />

Within a year, she moved to [[Zee News]].<ref name=":0" /> Whilst she wanted to be an anchor all throughout; the channel found her lacking in speaking finesse and employed her in producing roles.<ref name=":0" /> In her later years at Zee, she successfully passed the auditions and was occasionally used as an anchor for special features.<ref name=":0" />

In 2007, she joined [[News 24 (India)|News 24]], where she was, for the first time, assigned a mainstream role at anchoring in the form of moderating an evening debate show.<ref name=":0" /> She left the venture in early 2012 and moved to Star News; however, it was shut down months later.<ref name=":0" /> Kashyap thus became one of the several journalists, to follow her immediate ex-boss at News24 – Supriya Prasad from [[News 24 (India)|News 24]] to Aaj Tak, around late 2012.<ref name=":0" />

=== Views ===
Kashyap has been noted to be a strong voice against [[Reservation in India|reservations in India]] for socially oppressed classes and likewise affirmative actions; in a media-panel discussion, she had once described the system to be infested by 'termites', which brought neither social mobility nor economic affluence for the target-populace.<ref name=":0" />

In October 2025, an FIR was filed against Kashyap for her remarks on the sage [[Valmiki]] which supposedly hurt the sentiments of the [[Valmiki caste]].<ref>{{cite web |title='Aaj Tak' anchor Anjana Om Kashyap booked for hurting sentiments of Valmiki community |url=https://scroll.in/latest/1087558/aaj-tak-anchor-anjana-om-kashyap-booked-for-hurting-sentiments-of-valmiki-community |website=Scroll.in |access-date=14 October 2025 |language=en |date=12 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sethi |first1=Chitleen K. |title=Journalist Anjana Om Kashyap booked in Ludhiana over remarks on Valmiki during TV debate |url=https://theprint.in/india/journalist-anjana-om-kashyap-booked-in-ludhiana-over-remarks-on-valmiki-during-tv-debate/2761700/ |website=ThePrint |access-date=14 October 2025 |date=11 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Aaj Tak Anchor Anjana Om Kashyap Booked for Alleged Derogatory Remarks on Saint Valmiki |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/aaj-tak-anchor-anjana-om-kashyap-booked-by-ludhiana-police-over-alleged-remarks-on-valmiki |website=Outlook India |access-date=14 October 2025 |language=en-In |date=13 October 2025}}</ref>

== Reception ==
A [[Long-form journalism|long-form piece]] over [[The Caravan]] (by Nikita Saxena), has been highly critical of Kashyap's journalism, noting the aggressive propagation of [[Hindutva]] centered ideologies and biased reporting in favour of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], across a variety of situations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/anjana-om-kashyap-star-hindi-news-television|title=How Anjana Om Kashyap, a star of Hindi news television, sells the new normal|last=Saxena|first=Nikita|date=1 December 2019|website=[[The Caravan]]|publisher=Delhi Press|language=en|url-access=subscription|access-date=6 December 2019}}</ref> [[Scroll.in]] has noted her to be an establishment friendly news anchor.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://scroll.in/video/949165/establishment-friendly-news-anchor-anjana-om-kashyap-says-caa-and-nrc-can-be-a-lethal-combination |title=Establishment-friendly news anchor Anjana Om Kashyap says CAA and NRC can be a 'lethal combination' |work=Scroll.in |date=8 January 2020 |access-date=9 January 2020}}</ref> Kashyap was one of the few reporters, who was allowed to interview [[Narendra Modi]], in the run-up to the 2019 National Elections. Saxena opines that Kashyap refused to pose any challenging question to him.<ref name=":0" /> Kashyap's reporting of the [[2019 Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya dispute|2019 Supreme Court proceedings on Ayodhya title dispute]] toed a pro-Hindutva line with numerous debates and special shows, that spanned a vast avenue from seeking the reasons behind a routine deferment of the case (around 18 October) to inquiring about why the Muslims were unable to compromise with a ''mere'' 5 acre land, and the timeline of Ram Mandir construction, all along with provocative headlines and audience-polls; it ended with welcoming the final verdict in favour of the Hindus, as a sacred occasion.<ref name=":0" />

While reporting about the [[2019 Bihar encephalitis outbreak]], Kashyap entered the neonatal ICU at [[Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital]] and started haranguing the on-duty paediatrician.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/elections/social-dangal/aaj-tak-anjana-om-kashyap-heckles-doctor-bihar-hospital|title='Why Scold Doctor on Duty?' TV Reporter's ICU Coverage Faces Flak|date=19 June 2019|website=[[The Quint]]|access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref> She was widely criticised for her inappropriate behaviour.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/tv-anchor-anjana-om-kashyap-criticised-for-entering-icu-in-bihar-hospital-for-news-report/cid/1692736|title=TV anchor Anjana Om Kashyap criticised for entering ICU in Bihar hospital for news report|date=19 June 2019|website=Telegraph India|access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref> The Indian Medical Association subsequently filed a complaint against her, for endangering the lives of children, in an attempt to gain publicity.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Medical Association letter to channel on Anjana Om Kashyap's ICU entry |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/medical-association-letter-to-channel-on-anjana-om-kashyap-s-icu-entry/cid/1693229 |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=the Telegraph |date=26 June 2019}}</ref>

== Awards and accolades ==
*In November 2014, Kashyap was awarded the [[Indian Television Academy Awards|Indian Television Academy Award]] for Best Anchor after her work as a news anchor on Aaj Tak.<ref>{{cite news |title=अंजना ओम कश्यप को मिला बेस्ट एंकर का अवार्ड |url=https://mediakhabar.com/anjana-om-kashyap-got-best-anchor-award/ |work=Mediakhabar.com |date=2 November 2014 |access-date=27 January 2026}}</ref>
*In February 2015, she received the ENBA Awards Best Anchor (Hindi) honour — as reported under the coverage of the 2014 ENBA ceremony.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=TVTN wins 15 awards at ENBA 2014 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tvtn-wins-15-awards-at-enba-2014-238342-2015-02-02 |magazine=India Today |date=2 February 2015 |access-date=27 January 2026}}</ref>
*2016 Best Anchor in Hindi News by [[ Indian Television Academy Award]]{{cn|date=January 2026}}
*In December 2018, she was awarded the [[Indian Television Academy Award]] for Best Anchor – News/Current Affairs Show in Hindi.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Aaj Tak, India Today TV sweep Indian Television Academy Awards 2018 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/aaj-tak-india-today-tv-sweep-indian-television-academy-awards-2018-1407515-2018-12-11 |magazine=India Today |date=11 December 2018 |access-date=27 January 2026}}</ref>
*2024 Best Anchor in Hindi News (Talk/Chat Show) by [[Indian Television Academy Award]]{{cn|date=January 2026}}
*2025 Best News Anchor in Hindi News (Talk/Chat Show) by [[Indian Television Academy Award]]{{cn|date=January 2026}}

== Personal life ==
Kashyap is married to Mangesh Kashyap, an officer of the 1995 [[Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service]] cadre.<ref name=":0" /> Anjana met Mangesh during her days at [[Delhi University]].<ref name=":0" /> Mangesh was the erstwhile Addl. Deputy Commissioner of the Delhi Police and since 2016, has been the Chief Vigilance Officer of [[South Delhi Municipal Corporation]].<ref name=":0" /> They have a son and a daughter.<ref name=":0" />

== Controversy ==
On the morning of 11 November 2025, Kashyap aired an unverified and false report claiming that veteran actor [[Dharmendra]] had died. After the story got viral, many prominent figures condoled Dharmendra's death on ''X'' only to delete their posts after finding out that the actor did not die but was in fact receiving treatment. ''[[Aaj Tak]]'' and ''[[India Today]]'' later expressed apologies on their social media handles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rana |first=Kshitij Singh |title=Dharmendra Death False News: Did Aaj Tak & Anjana Om Kashyap Prematurely Announce Dharmendra's Death? |url=https://journal.az1network.com/dharmendra-death-false-news-did-aaj-tak-anjana-om-kashyap-prematurely-announce-dharmendras-death/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=The Journal (By Az1 Network) |language=en-US}}</ref> She became a target for trolls who in turn started sharing news of her fake death.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trolls target TV anchor Anjana Om Kashyap after Dharmendras fake death report |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/trending/journalist-anjana-om-kashyap-no-more-trolls-target-tv-anchor-after-dharmendras-fake-death-report/ |work=The Tribune |date=14 November 2025 |access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Official website|http://www.anjanaomkashyap.com/}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kashyap, Anjana Om}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:India Today people]]
[[Category:Indian women television journalists]]
[[Category:Indian television news anchors]]
[[Category:Indian political journalists]]
[[Category:Indian television talk show hosts]]
[[Category:Jamia Millia Islamia alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Anjana Om Kashyap - Revision history

Ghazal Builders at 14:39, 24 February 2026