On Saturday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting appointed lyricist and writer Prasoon Joshi as the Chairman of Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster.
According to a press release issued by the ministry, Joshi is “a distinguished creative professional” whose “body of work spans acclaimed film lyrics, advertising campaigns, and socially resonant storytelling that connects with diverse audiences across the country.”
Ashwini Vaishnaw, I&B minister, said, “Prasoon ji is a rare creative spirit celebrated across the world in advertising, literature, art and cinema, yet his heart beats unmistakably for India. His words carry the fragrance of our soil, and his vision reflects the timeless essence of our culture,” adding that under his stewardship the public broadcaster will discover “renewed energy, deeper purpose, and a fresh creative voice.”
Joshi comes to the role from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), where he has served as chairperson since August 2017, and before that spent years in the higher echelons of the advertising industry as CEO of McCann Worldgroup India and chairman of McCann Asia Pacific.
He succeeds Navneet Kumar Sehgal, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, who stepped down in December 2025 — roughly a year and a half into a three-year term. Sehgal had been appointed in March 2024, just weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, ending a three-year vacancy at the top of the broadcaster.
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