Quick Facts
Biography
Vir Sanghvi (born 5 July 1956) is an Indian print and television journalist most famous for the Radio tapes incident, which revealed the rampant corruption in Indian news media.
Early life and education
Vir Sanghvi is an Indian editor and also a television personality. Currently, he is Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times. Sanghvi was brought up in Bombay (now Mumbai) and London and educated at Mayo College, Ajmer, and Mill Hill School, London. He went on to read politics, philosophy and economics at Brasenose College, Oxford.
His show Custom Made for Vir Sanghvi on NDTV Goodtimes, where he travels across India, in search of the most luxurious and bespoke 'Indian' experiences has received high ratings and been renewed for a second season. His published books include Rude Food, India – Then and Now and Men of Steel (a collection of profiles of India's leading businessmen) which has been translated into 10 other languages and is a huge best-seller. He has also authored a biography of the late Madhavrao Scindia, which was released by Sonia Gandhi in 2009, in Delhi.
Nira Radia tapes
In 2010, Sanghvi was connected to the Nira Radia tapes. In the audio tape Sanghvi was heard asking "What kind of story do you want?" It is alleged that he made some points suggested by Radia in his article titled 'Time for some transparency' under Sanghvi's column "Counterpoint". Barkha Dutt, another Indian journalist was also involved in the controversy.
In January 2012, The Union Government told the Supreme Court that the Radia tapes broadcast by media organisations were tampered with and the government agencies were not responsible for its leakage.
Food Critic & Journalist
After the corruption incident, and losing face, Sanghvi left journalism and became a food critic.
Books By Vir Sanghvi
- Men of Steel – India's business leaders in candid conversation with Vir Sanghvi, Roli Books Pvt Ltd, India (Jan 2007) ISBN 81-7436-474-9
- Rude Food: The Collected Food Writings of Vir Sanghvi, Penguin Putnam (2004) ISBN 0-14-303139-2
- India Then and Now : Now/Vir Sanghvi. New Delhi, Roli, 2006, 274 p., $120. ISBN 81-7436-397-1.
- 26/11:The Attack on Mumbai, Penguin, 2009, ISBN 978-0-14-306705-4
- Madhavrao Scindia: A life, Penguin, 2009, ISBN 978-0-670-08254-4