Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Work Hours
Monday to Friday: 7AM - 7PM
Weekend: 10AM - 5PM
Shereen Bhan: Charting India’s Economic Growth Through Business Journalism
In the bustling newsrooms of India’s financial capital, few voices command as much respect as Shereen Bhan, the Managing Editor of CNBC-TV18. When she conceived the idea for “Young Turks” over two decades ago, she thought the experimental show would last 13 weeks. Today, it stands as one of India’s longest running shows on entrepreneurship and has featured over 5,000 startups. This remarkable evolution mirrors Bhan’s own journey from a news researcher to one of India’s most influential business journalists, fundamentally reshaping how the nation understands its economic landscape. Her commitment to spotlighting emerging entrepreneurs and breaking critical business stories has established her as a defining force in business journalism, setting the standard for investigative reporting and thoughtful analysis in India’s rapidly evolving startup ecosystem.
From Kashmir to the Newsroom: Building a Foundation
Born on August 20, 1976, into a Kashmiri Hindu family, Shereen Bhan’s path to journalism began in the scenic valleys of Kashmir before taking her through the corridors of Delhi’s premier educational institutions. Her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kashmir and Air Force Bal Bharati school in New Delhi provided the foundational discipline that would later define her meticulous approach to business journalism.
The academic rigor continued as Bhan graduated from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi with a degree in Philosophy and pursued a master’s in Communication Studies from the University of Pune, specializing in film and television. This unique combination of philosophical thinking and media expertise would prove instrumental in her analytical approach to complex business stories.
Bhan’s journalism career began as a news-researcher for Karan Thapar in his production house Infotainment Television, where she learned the fundamentals of research-driven storytelling. She then joined UTV’s News and Current Affairs division, producing notable shows like “We the People” for Star TV and “Line of Fire” for SAB TV. These early experiences in documentary-style programming honed her skills in long-form journalism that would later distinguish her work in business reporting.
Defining Moments: From Correspondent to Managing Editor
Shereen Bhan joined CNBC-TV18 on December 7, 2000, marking the beginning of what would become a transformative career in business journalism. She took over as Managing Editor from September 1, 2013, after her predecessor Udayan Mukherjee stepped down, cementing her position as one of the most powerful voices in Indian business media.
Under her editorial leadership, CNBC-TV18 has established its dominance as the leader in Business News, with over 90% share of the Business News Genre. This remarkable market position reflects not just viewership numbers but the trust that business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs place in the channel’s coverage.
Bhan has been responsible for breaking a range of news stories that have redefined the Indian economic landscape and has positioned herself as a crucial bridge between corporate India and public understanding. Her interviews span from legendary investor Warren Buffet to Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, and Indra Nooyi, demonstrating her ability to secure access to the most influential business minds globally.
The cornerstone of her achievement remains “Young Turks,” which she both anchors and edits. The show was a result of Shereen’s initiative to build a community and narrative around young and first-generation entrepreneurs. What began as an experiment focused on younger entrepreneurs and emerging Indian brands has evolved into perhaps the world’s longest running show on startups and entrepreneurship.
Beyond Young Turks, Bhan anchors and produces several shows including India Business Hour, The Nation’s Business, and Power Turks. Her hosting of “Overdrive” earned the program the News Television Award for the ‘Best Auto Show’ for three consecutive years, showcasing her versatility across different business sectors.
Recognition and Impact: A Legacy of Excellence
Shereen Bhan’s contribution to business journalism has earned her numerous prestigious awards and recognitions that span over two decades. In 2005, she received the FICCI Woman of the Year award for her contribution to the media, and the World Economic Forum named her a Young Global Leader in 2009.
Her recent accolades demonstrate sustained excellence in the field. At the prestigious ENBA 2019 Awards, she won the News Television Editor-in-Chief of the year in the English category and the Best Anchor, English, and continued her winning streak at the 2020 edition by bagging the Managing Editor of the Year – English and Best Anchor – English awards.
The year 2022 proved particularly significant for recognition of her work. Her notable awards include the prestigious Bharat Asmita National Award 2022 for excellence in Business journalism; India’s Most Trusted Business News Anchor award by IDEASFEST 2022, as well as the Outstanding Contribution to Media award by the esteemed AIMA’s 12th Managing India Awards 2022. Additionally, Shereen Bhan topped IMPACT’s 50 Most Influential Women List in 2022.
Shereen has also been featured consecutively for two years in “THE LIST” series published by Jombay’s 1000 Women Leaders Program for 2023 and 2024, confirming her continued influence in shaping business discourse.
Her impact extends beyond awards to tangible influence on the industry. For more than a decade, Shereen has been hands-on in guiding and molding young business journalists, ensuring that her expertise and ethical standards continue through the next generation of reporters.
Current Leadership and Vision
As Managing Editor of CNBC-TV18, Bhan continues to guide the channel’s editorial vision with the same innovative spirit that launched Young Turks. The ecosystem is far more diverse than it was 18 years ago, with young Indian entrepreneurs leveraging technology to create sharp B2C and B2B brands across a wide range of sectors.
Recognizing this evolution, she launched a daily show, Startup Street, focused on news from and for this constituency, demonstrating her ability to adapt programming to meet changing market needs. Under her leadership, Shereen has always challenged herself to do something innovative, new and different every quarter, raising her hand and volunteering to take up new ideas and projects.
She heads the channel’s special feature programming that carries several pioneering shows such as Ministers of Change and What Women Really Want, ensuring that CNBC-TV18 remains at the forefront of covering not just business news but the intersection of policy, society, and economic development.
Lasting Impact on Business Journalism
Shereen Bhan has been instrumental in shaping business journalism in India, guiding comprehensive and insightful coverage while putting accuracy above speed and staying away from clickbait sensationalism. Her approach represents what many consider “old school journalism” in the best sense—thorough, ethical, and focused on substantive content over viral moments.
Through her pioneering work on Young Turks and her broader editorial leadership, Shereen Bhan has not merely reported on India’s entrepreneurial revolution—she has helped create the narrative framework through which the nation understands its own economic transformation.
