Speaker

Siddharth Varadarajan

Siddharth Varadarajan (born April 10, 1965) is an American journalist and editor based in India, best known as the Founder and Editor of The Wire, a leading independent digital news platform. Educated at the London School of Economics and Columbia University, he began his career with The Times of India and later served as the first non-family editor of The Hindu (2011–2013). In 2015, he co-founded The Wire, which has since become a prominent voice in Indian journalism, noted for its rigorous reporting and critical analysis of politics and society. Alongside his editorial career, Siddharth has held academic appointments at UC Berkeley, Yale, and Shiv Nadar University, and has been active in international journalism and policy networks. His fearless reporting has earned him major awards, including the Shorenstein Journalism Award, the Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award, and the Ramnath Goenka Award, cementing his reputation as a strong advocate of press freedom.