Palki Sharma Upadhyay: The Journalist Who Never Planned to Become One
There’s a certain irony in the fact that one of India’s most recognisable news voices once dreamed of designing clothes, not delivering headlines. Palki Sharma Upadhyay, now firmly established as one of the country’s sharpest international affairs anchors, stumbled into journalism almost by accident — and never looked back.
An Army Childhood, A Fashion Dream
Born on May 29, 1982, in Pilani, Rajasthan, Palki grew up moving from posting to posting as the daughter of an army officer. That kind of upbringing tends to leave a mark — discipline, adaptability, and a habit of speaking plainly rather than diplomatically. Yet as a student at a convent school in Shimla, her ambitions pointed toward fabric and design, not the newsroom. She studied English Literature at Hindu College, Delhi University, with fashion still on her mind.
Then, in her second year of college, Doordarshan came calling with an offer to anchor and report — no journalism background required. She took the leap at twenty, and as she has put it herself, journalism found her before she found it.
Building a Career, One Newsroom at a Time
After a stint learning the ropes at India’s public broadcaster and a brief spell in print at Hindustan Times, she joined CNN-IBN in 2005 and stayed for over a decade. Those years shaped her reputation: covering elections, chasing politicians for straight answers, and refusing to let evasive responses go unchallenged. One especially well-known moment saw her repeat the same question to a minister five times until he finally answered it — the kind of clip that travels far on the internet.
By 2019, she had outgrown domestic news alone and moved to WION, fronting the show “Gravitas.” It was here that she became something closer to a global name, tackling subjects like pandemic diplomacy, US-China rivalry, and what she often framed as double standards in how Western media covered the developing world. Segments built around India’s foreign aid contributions and climate-responsibility debates picked up millions of views well beyond India’s borders.
Since January 2023, she has anchored “Vantage” at Firstpost, where she also holds the title of Managing Editor — giving her a hand in shaping the editorial direction, not just presenting it.
Life Away from the Camera
In 2008, she married Sanket Upadhyay, himself a journalist, and the two have a daughter, Manya. Balancing a demanding, unpredictable job with parenting is something she has spoken about candidly over the years, without pretending it comes easily.
Interestingly, her early love of design never fully disappeared — she went on to launch Reyva, a designer saree label, proving that a newsroom career and a creative side hustle aren’t mutually exclusive.
What She’s Worth Today
Estimates place her net worth somewhere in the range of ₹15–20 crore as of 2026, built up through more than two decades of anchoring salaries, her editorial role at Firstpost, digital revenue from her shows, and her fashion venture on the side. It’s a figure that reflects steady, compounding success rather than any single windfall.
The Bigger Picture
What stands out about her story isn’t just the awards or the viral clips — it’s the accidental beginning. A woman who wanted to sketch dresses ended up shaping how millions of people think about global politics instead. Sometimes career paths choose us, and hers is proof that the detour can turn out better than the original plan.
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