Barkha Dutt steps down as NDTV group editor, to set up her own media company

Journalist Barkha Dutt has stepped down from her position as Group Editor in NDTV after almost two decades of joining the news channel and is going to step up her own media company.Dutt made her mark with her coverage of the Kargil war, and her reporting for NDTV made her a house hold name at a time when the channel was the first 24-hour English news channels in India.[caption id="attachment_2101821" align="alignleft" width="380"] Barkha Dutt. Image courtesy: Twitter[/caption]According to a Huffington Post report, "She (Dutt) will continue as consulting editor and work on setting up her own media company and policy group. She will continue hosting two shows that she currently does at the channel—the daily Buck Stops Here and the weekly We The People."While she has faced criticism for her reporting of the 2002 Gujarat riots and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Dutt is also the recipient of several awards including the Indian Television Academy award for Best Talk Show five years in a row and the Padma Shri.Her name had also cropped up in the now infamous Niira Radia tapes controversy in 2011 but she had refuted all allegations of being a conduit.Founders of NDTV Radhika and Prannoy wrote an email announcing Dutt's stepping-down for her post.Here's what they said:Dear AllBarkha Dutt was only 23 when she joined NDTV as a young reporter cum producer. NDTV was the first place she ever worked in and for two decades we have seen her evolve into one of our most prolific reporters. She has been a key member of the NDTV family and a big part of our memorable journey from a production house that created a nightly news bulletin for doordarshan to what we are today. She has worn many hats for NDTV: journalist, anchor, editor and NDTV has been both her learning ground and her second home.Now twenty years later we wish her all the very best as she embarks on yet another role with us. Barkha will be moving to the role of Consulting Editor. She will remain as closely associated with NDTV as she has all these years as the anchor for Buck Stops Here on weeknights and We The People on weekends. She will also be available as always for analysis and inputs on big news events and stories. While her TV relationship with NDTV remains unchanged, in her new role she will be setting up her own multi media content company and policy group. We have literally seen barkha grow from a child to an adult professional and look forward to our close bonds only strengthening further as she embarks on this new venture.I know you will join us in wishing Barkha the very very best.Radhika and PrannoyMeanwhile Twitter was full of messages wishing her luck for her new ventures.