Surendra Chaturvedi

Surendra Chaturvedi

Surendra Chaturvedi was a journalist and activist prominent. Surendra excelled in muktaks (short poems). He was popular at Kavi sammelan and Mushaira gatherings due to his witty and satirical manner and subject matter. He usually targeted politicians, inefficient and corrupt bureaucrats and orthodox society norms. Chaturvedi worked for the Bennett Coleman and Company, first in the Public Relations department and then in the print media wing. Chaturvedi was invited to take the role of the anchor at the historic inaugural show of Doordarshan (State TV Channel) on 15 September 1959. He was one of the earliest anchors of the small screen in Lucknow. UP Natak Academy often called him to assess their plays. Navbharat Times, a sister publication in Hindi of the Times of India, posted Chaturvedi as a special correspondent in 1960 to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. He reported objectively and frankly on interviews and press conferences of province and state leaders.