Salma Sultan

Summary

Salma Sultan (born 16 March 1944) is an Indian television journalist and director. Having worked as a news anchor in Doordarshan from 1967 till 1997, she later went into directing television shows.[1] Sultan had initiated a trend-wearing a signature rose tucked under her left ear in her hair, and draping the border of her sari around her neck in a modern yet traditional way. It was later picked up by almost all the women newsreaders.[2][3][4]

Salma Sultan
Born (1947-03-16) 16 March 1947 (age 77)
NationalityIndian
EducationIndraprastha College for Women
OccupationNews anchor at Doordarshan
Years active1967–2005
SpouseAamir Kidwai
Children2

Early life and education edit

Salma Sultan was born as second child to scholar and secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Mohammed Asghar Ansari and a homemaker mother. Salma had an elder sister Maimoona Sultan (a four-time Congress Member of Parliament from Bhopal). Salma and Maimoona were great-great-granddaughter of Shah Shuja of Afghanistan. Salma did her schooling and graduation from Bhopal. She did her post graduation in English from Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi and simultaneously gave audition for an announcer on Doordarshan at the age of 23.[5]

Career edit

Pratima Puri and Gopal Kaul were regular faces then in Doordarshan, which started its operations on 15 September 1959.[6] Doordarshan began a 5-minute news bulletin in 1965. Salma Sultan gave the first news of assassination of Indira Gandhi on Doordarshan's evening news on 31 October 1984, more than 10 hours after she was shot.[7]

As director edit

After her retirement, Salma Sultan moved to directing serials on social topics for Doordarshan under her production house Lensview Private Limited.[8][9][10][11][12] Her serials Panchtantra Se, Suno Kahani, Swar Mere Tumhare and Jalte Sawal drew attention. Panchantra Se used to be telecast soon after Mahabharata in 1989 and did very well.[13] Jalte Sawal was a serial on women issues,which was telecasted in 2004 on DD News on Sundays at 11 a.m.[14]

Personal life edit

Salma Sultan is widow of Aamir Kidwai, who worked for Engineers India (EIL). Sultan's son Saad Kidwai is an Income Tax Commissioner and her daughter Sana is a choreographer. Salma has two grandchildren.[15] Saad Kidwai is married to Geti Khan Kidwai (born 1978), a designer and they have two children- Samar and Mehar. Saad and Geti are now settled in BRS Nagar, Ludhiana.[16][17]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Doordarshan Divas". The Times of India. 6 January 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Metro Plus Madurai / Miscellany : Gracefully yours!". The Hindu. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  3. ^ "The Sultan of news | Culture". Times Crest. 9 October 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  4. ^ "We the eyeballs : Cover Story". India Today. 24 September 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Cycling down sepia-toned lanes of Chandni Chowk". The Indian Express. 5 April 1999. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  6. ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Himachal PLUS". The Tribune. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  7. ^ "The riots that could not be televised". The Indian Express. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Three Doordarshan-era anchors recall what a dignified era of television news looked like". 25 September 2017.
  9. ^ Rana Siddiqui Zaman (22 February 2010). "Gracefully yours!". The Hindu. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Age of innocence". The Hindu. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Wide Angle Screen". The Indian Express. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  12. ^ "Lost And Found-ANNIVERSARY ISSUE: 30 LOST AND FOUND". India Today. 3 July 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2006.
  13. ^ "The Queen of Roses". The Hindu. 25 March 2004. Archived from the original on 26 December 2004. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  14. ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Punjab". The Tribune. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  15. ^ "Lost and found-Thirty newsmakers from the pages of Indian history and where they are now: Cover Story – India Today". India Today. 3 July 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2006.
  16. ^ "She brought 'ghararas' to Ludhiana". The Times of India. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  17. ^ "Geti wants to design clothes for Aishwarya". The Times of India. 15 January 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2012.

External links edit

  • Salma Sultan reading news of Indira Gandhi's death on YouTube
  • Doordarshan history by Salma Sultan on YouTube
  • Panchtantra Se serial episode on YouTube
  • Suno Kahani serial episode on YouTube
  • Swar Mere Tumhare serial promo on YouTube
  • Roshni Ka Safar serial promo on YouTube
  • Doordarshan 50 years in 2009 on YouTube