While national English and Hindi channels hog most of the attention, the real reach of Indian television news is in regional languages. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Gujarat and Odisha all have their own massive news ecosystems, with anchors who are essentially celebrities in their home states, even if the rest of the country has never heard their name.
Best Regional top News Anchor in India 2026 (By Language) If you study vernacular media, regional TV journalism or just want to know who’s driving the news conversation in your home state, this list is for you. We have also included related terms such as regional language news channels, vernacular journalism in India and state-wise news anchors to make this really useful for search.
One thing to remember before you dive in: regional news isn’t a small, diluted version of national news. In several states, local channels actually beat national networks during state elections, budget announcements and big civic stories, simply because viewers trust a local anchor speaking their own language to explain what a policy really means for their own city or village.
Tamil News Anchors
Tamil Nadu's news channels, led by Sun News, Puthiya Thalaimurai, and Thanthi TV, run some of the most-watched regional bulletins in South India.
1. Sathiyan
Channel / Platform: Sun News
Known For: Political debates and Tamil Nadu affairs
A familiar face on Sun News, Sathiyan anchors prime-time political discussions and has built a loyal Tamil-speaking audience with his direct, confident on-air style.
2. Sudhakar Narasimhan
Channel / Platform: Thanthi TV
Known For: Political commentary and debate anchoring
A regular and influential voice on Tamil political debate panels, Sudhakar Narasimhan is known for sharp, well-informed commentary on state and national issues.
3. Bharathi Baskar
Channel / Platform: Puthiya Thalaimurai
Known For: News anchoring and political reporting
Bharathi Baskar has built a strong reputation for clear, no-nonsense Tamil news delivery on political and civic issues affecting the state.
Telugu News Anchors
Telugu news across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is dominated by channels like TV9 Telugu, ABN Andhra Jyothy, and NTV, each with its own loyal anchor lineup.
1. Rangaraju Vamsi Krishna
Channel / Platform: TV9 Telugu
Known For: Prime-time news and political coverage
A well-known name on TV9 Telugu, he anchors fast-paced political coverage and debate segments that regularly top regional viewership.
2. Murali Krishna
Channel / Platform: TV9 Telugu
Known For: Investigative and political reporting
Known for detailed political and investigative reporting, Murali Krishna is one of the more credible voices in Telugu-language broadcast journalism.
3. Padma Sri Vissapragada
Channel / Platform: ABN Andhra Jyothy
Known For: News anchoring
A steady presence on ABN Andhra Jyothy, known for calm delivery of prime-time bulletins covering Andhra Pradesh and Telangana politics.
Marathi News Anchors
Maharashtra's news landscape runs on channels like ABP Majha, Zee 24 Taas, and TV9 Marathi, covering everything from Mumbai politics to rural Maharashtra issues.
1. Rahul Kulkarni
Channel / Platform: ABP Majha
Known For: Political reporting and prime-time anchoring
Rahul Kulkarni is one of the most recognisable faces on ABP Majha, known for detailed coverage of Maharashtra state politics and civic issues.
2. Ameya Khopkar
Channel / Platform: Zee 24 Taas
Known For: Prime-time anchoring and civic reporting
A frequent presence on Marathi prime-time news, known for anchoring segments on law, order, and civic governance issues affecting Maharashtra.
3. Sameer Joshi
Channel / Platform: TV9 Marathi
Known For: News anchoring
Sameer Joshi anchors prime-time Marathi bulletins with a straightforward, viewer-friendly style that has built him a steady regional following.
Bengali News Anchors
West Bengal's news channels, including ABP Ananda, Zee 24 Ghanta, and Republic Bangla, cover intense state politics with equally intense anchoring styles.
1. Suman Dey
Channel / Platform: ABP Ananda
Known For: Political debates
Suman Dey is known for hosting some of West Bengal's most closely watched political debate shows, especially during state election seasons.
2. Sonia Ghosh
Channel / Platform: Zee 24 Ghanta
Known For: News anchoring and reporting
Sonia Ghosh anchors prime-time Bengali news with a focus on clear, accessible reporting of complex state political developments.
Kannada News Anchors
Karnataka's news audience follows channels like TV9 Kannada, Public TV, and Suvarna News for state politics and civic coverage.
1. Ranganath Bharadwaj
Channel / Platform: TV9 Kannada
Known For: Prime-time news and debates
A leading voice on TV9 Kannada, known for detailed political coverage and confident prime-time debate moderation.
2. H R Ranganath
Channel / Platform: Public TV
Known For: Political and civic reporting
H R Ranganath is a well-known figure in Kannada journalism, associated with sharp political reporting and civic accountability stories.
Malayalam News Anchors
Kerala's highly literate news audience is served by channels like Asianet News, Manorama News, and Media One, known for detailed, issue-driven reporting.
1. Rajeev Devaraj
Channel / Platform: Asianet News
Known For: Political and investigative reporting
Rajeev Devaraj is a respected name in Malayalam journalism, known for detailed, issue-based political coverage on Asianet News.
2. Sindhu Sooryakumar
Channel / Platform: Manorama News
Known For: News anchoring
Sindhu Sooryakumar anchors prime-time Malayalam bulletins with a calm, clear style that resonates with Kerala's news-savvy audience.
Punjabi and Other Regional Anchors
Beyond the major language markets, states like Punjab, Gujarat, and Odisha have their own strong regional news ecosystems worth watching.
1. Jasmeet Singh
Channel / Platform: PTC News
Known For: Punjab politics and civic issues
Jasmeet Singh anchors prime-time Punjabi news on PTC News, covering state politics, agriculture policy, and civic developments closely followed by Punjabi audiences.
2. Falguni Patel
Channel / Platform: VTV Gujarati
Known For: Gujarat political reporting
Falguni Patel is a familiar face on VTV Gujarati, known for covering Gujarat's state politics and civic administration with clarity.
3. Subhashree Sahoo
Channel / Platform: OTV Odisha
Known For: Odisha political commentary
A regular anchor on OTV Odisha's political panels, contributing detailed regional commentary on the state's governance and elections.
Why Regional News Anchors Deserve More Attention
National English and Hindi anchors dominate Twitter trends and WhatsApp forwards, but regional anchors often have a far more direct, day-to-day influence on their audience's lives. A Tamil news anchor covering a local water crisis, or a Marathi anchor breaking down a state government scheme, reaches viewers who make real decisions based on that coverage. Regional journalism also tends to stay closer to ground realities simply because the audience knows the local context so well — there is nowhere to hide inaccurate reporting.
Regional channels also move faster than most people assume. Many were early adopters of YouTube and Facebook Live long before national networks took digital seriously, since a big share of their audience was already watching on mobile data rather than cable television. That head start means several regional anchors today run digital operations that are just as sophisticated as their national counterparts, even if their household name recognition outside the state stays limited.
How to Follow Regional News Anchors Online
The majority of large regional channels run active Youtube channels alongside their TV broadcasts and many individual anchors maintain their own Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) accounts where they share clips, behind-the-scenes updates and breaking news alerts. If you want to keep up with political coverage in a particular state, the direct channel name search on YouTube is typically a better option than waiting for the national outlets to put together it for you, particularly during times of state elections or local emergencies.
Regional news anchors are also an underrated resource for advertisers, researchers and digital marketers. Their audiences are generally very loyal and language-specific, making regional news platforms useful for local brand campaigns, government outreach and info drives at the community level that a national English or Hindi channel simply cannot deliver with the same precision.
Also Read: News Channel Name Ideas
Conclusion
There is no one language, no one set of national faces that ever tells India’s story in the news. Each day, regional anchors in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Gujarati and Odia media quietly shape the public opinion of hundreds of millions of Indians. Regional channels are also investing more and more in digital platforms and YouTube, so you can also expect several of these names to start making a name for themselves nationally as well.
If you only follow national English and Hindi news, this list is a good reminder of just how big and varied India's real news ecosystem actually is, and how much influence lives outside the channels that usually dominate national headlines.
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FAQs
Which regional language has the most-watched news channels in India?
Hindi and Tamil news channels together account for a very large share of India's regional news viewership, though Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali channels also draw huge, loyal audiences in their respective states.
Do regional news anchors earn less than national English or Hindi anchors?
Yes, regional anchors typically make less than their counterparts at the major national networks, but top anchors at the major regional channels in big states can still command competitive compensation.
Can a regional news anchor move to a national channel?
It happens, though not very often. Strong regional anchors sometimes get noticed by national networks, especially if they build a strong digital or YouTube following alongside their regional TV work.
Which regional news channels are most trusted in India?
The level of trust varies wildly by state and audience, but channels like Asianet News (Malayalam), ABP Majha (Marathi) and Sun News (Tamil) are among the most popular in their states.
Are regional news anchors as influential as national anchors?
Even if their reach across India is smaller than national anchors, regional anchors are often more directly influential on day-to-day civic and political matters in their own states.
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