Saurabh Dwivedi is a well-known Indian journalist and founding editor of The Lallantop, a Hindi news and media web portal owned by the India Today Group. He has worked with Star News, Live India, Times Group, Nav Bharat Times, Dainik Bhaskar, and India Today before setting up The Lallantop in 2016.
Wiki/Biography
Saurabh Dwivedi was born on Friday, 22 April 1983 (age 37 years; as of 2020) in village Chamari, located in Jalaun district of Uttar Pradesh. [1] His zodiac sign is Taurus.
Saurabh Dwivedi’s ancestral home in Chamari village, Uttar Pradesh
Long-haired toddler Saurabh Dwivedi
He started his schooling at Orai’s Saraswati Shishu Mandir, a branch of schools operated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and studied there till 1993.
A school class group picture featuring Saurabh Dwivedi when he was in the first class
In 1993, his parents sent him to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanatan Dharma Vidyalaya, a boarding school in Kanpur, from where he passed class 10 in 1998. He completed 12th standard from Jugal Devi Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Kanpur, in 2000, and later graduated in Mathematics from Dayanand Vedic College, Orai. [2] Saurabh felt aimless after completing his graduation, but his interest in Hindi literature encouraged him to crack the JNU entrance exam for MA in Hindi. It was during this time that Saurabh’s eloquent Hindi writing skills were noticed by his professor, who suggested him to make a career in journalism. After completing an MA in Hindi from JNU in 2006, Saurabh did a one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIM), Delhi, in 2007. [3]
Saurabh Dwivedi receiving the Post-Graduate Diploma Certificate in Journalism at the 40th Convocation for PG Diploma Programmes of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi
Later, he also completed an MPhil in Hindi Literature from JNU in 2010. [4]
Saurabh Dwivedi inside JNU’s canteen in 2007
Later, he also pursued a Phd from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which he left in midway.
Saurabh Dwivedi’s JNU library card
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 10″
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
Family & Caste
Saurabh Dwivedi comes from a Hindu Brahmin family. [5]
Parents & Siblings
Saurabh’s paternal grandfather, Mataprasad Dwivedi, was a Congressman (INC) and was known as Mata Prasad Chamari in the surrounding villages. His father, Ravikant Dwivedi, is a retired professor. Reportedly, Ravikant Dwivedi is also a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also unsuccessfully contested Bihar Assembly elections two times on the ticket of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Saurabh Dwivedi’s father, Ravikant Dwivedi
Saurabh has an elder brother named Abhay Dwivedi, a director at Infopark, Jalaun.
Abhay Dwivedi, elder brother of Saurabh Dwivedi
Wife & Children
He got married to his long-time college friend Gunjan in 2010.
Saurabh Dwivedi with his wife Gunjan on the day of their engagement in 2010
Saurabh describes his wife as his best friend, his harshest critic, and the greatest strength behind him that helps him stay grounded.
Career
Dwivedi started his career in journalism as an intern with Star News in March 2007. After completing two months of internship, he joined Live India News Channel and worked there as a reporter for four months till August 2007, and then entered the Times group as a senior copy editor cum correspondent. After learning the nuances of journalism for two-and-a-half years (September 2007 to February 2010), Saurabh joined the Dainik Bhaskar group as a news editor of its Ludhiana edition. He worked as the head of its city supplement called City life and education supplement called Education Bhaskar from 2010 to 2013. In 2013, India Today Group recruited him as a senior associate editor. In January 2016, he was appointed as the chief editor of The Lallantop, a YouTube news portal owned by the India Today Group. The Lallantop is a perfect blend of humour and seriousness that enlightens its viewers by providing news in a simple language that can even be understood by a layman. The venture has enjoyed stupendous success in the digital space since its launch.
Saurabh Dwivedi with The Lallantop team
Saurabh Dwivedi hosts multiple shows on The Lallantop including The Lallantop Show With Saurabh Dwivedi, Kitab Wala, and Netanagari.
Awards
- His show “Political Kisse” on The Lallantop bagged Digipub award in 2017.
Saurabh Dwivedi receiving Digipub award for The Lallantop Political Kisse in 2017
- He received “Best Anchor on Digital News Channel” award at ENBA 2019.
Saurabh Dwivedi’s Best Anchor on Digital News Channel award at ENBA 2019
Controversy
In January 2020, Saurabh Dwivedi sparked a controversy after he tweeted a distasteful meme mocking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters. The meme displayed a picture of a condom with a text on top reading,
For those who are still supporting the BJP, please use this we don’t want any more like you in this world.”
Here is the image.
Saurabh Dwivedi’s controversial tweet about BJP supporters
The tweet invited a severe outrage on Twitter by a section of BJP supporters who also trended #SaurabhDwivediDallaHai on Twitter. Saurabh Dwivedi apologised and deleted the tweet after facing an online backlash.
It was done in humor which misfired. It is against the editorial policy of LT to take any side. We are a young site and team. We made a mistake. My unconditional apology to all.
— Saurabh Dwivedi (@saurabhtop) January 9, 2020
Facts/Trivia
- During his childhood, Saurabh was a camera-shy person who avoided being photographed or filmed. He used to cry when someone pulled him forcefully in front of the camera.
Saurabh Dwivedi cries while one of his cousins tries to bring him in front of the camera
- His parents and relatives fondly call him by the name Shibbu. [6]
- Saurabh used to keep a moustache during the first few years of his career.
- He occasionally consumes alcoholic beverages for recreational purpose.
- Saurabh Dwivedi does Yoga every day to keep himself fit.
Saurabh Dwivedi performing wheel pose
- Owing to his knowledge base, Saurabh Dwivedi was once invited as an expert panellist on Kaun Banega Crorepati, an Indian television game show Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
