Navika Kumar is among India’s most illustrious journalists and a trailblazer in the profession. She is the Group Editor in Chief of Times Now, India’s most-watched English news channel, and Times Now Navbharat, the fastest growing Hindi news channel in the country. Kumar is the first woman ever to head two national news channels in India. She brings with her a wealth of experience that has spanned more than three decades, including 15 years in print journalism as a correspondent with The Economic Times and assistant editor with The Indian Express. Kumar made a transition to broadcast journalism in 2005 and was part of the team that launched Times Now, before spearheading the launch of Times Now Navbharat in 2021.

Kumar has established herself as India’s pre-eminent political journalist, with impactful Reportage that has resonated in the corridors of power. She has expertly combined a reporter’s skill of excavating the truth with an editor’s foresight in setting the narrative. Kumar has led exposés on political corruption, conflicts of interest and threats to national security through her reportage, seeking accountability from the highest echelons of power. Kumar’s approach has been exemplified by her incisiveness, attention to detail, and letting the facts do the talking. She’s equally at ease with topics as diverse as business and politics, economy and elections, national security and geopolitics, and entertainment as well.

Kumar’s prime-time programme Newshour has consistently ranked No.1 in viewership and her debates stand out for their uncompromising style. She also anchors Times Now Navbharat’s f lagship show Sawaal Public Ka. The biggest names in the world of politics, entertainment and business have featured on Kumar’s interview show Frankly Speaking. These include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Republican candidate for Governor of Ohio Vivek Ramaswamy, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates, the Chairman of Tata Sons N Chandrasekaran and, most recently, Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader currently in hiding who was declared the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025.

Kumar is also the recipient of multiple awards. In 2022, she was named Editor-in-Chief of the Year (Hindi) at the Exchange4Media News Broadcasting Awards, and in 2025, was honoured by the All India Management Association for Outstanding Contributions to the Media.