Amol Rajan

Amol Rajan[1] (born 4 July 1983) is an Indian-born British[2] journalist, broadcaster and writer. Rajan is a former adviser to Evgeny Lebedev, Lord Lebedev of Siberia, and was appointed the editor of his newspaper The Independent in 2013.[3] When The Independent announced it was dropping the print edition in February 2016, and continuing as only an online operation, he was retained for a period as "editor-at-large". He was the media editor of BBC News from December 2016[4] to January 2023,[5] and has been a presenter on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 since 2021.[6] He replaced Jeremy Paxman as the host of University Challenge on 17 July 2023.[7]

Amol Rajan
Born
V. Amol

(1983-07-04) 4 July 1983[1]
Calcutta, India
(now Kolkata)
NationalityIndian
British
Other namesAmol Varadarajan
EducationGraveney School
Alma materDowning College, Cambridge
OccupationJournalist
Years active2006–present
Employer(s)BBC
Channel 5
The Independent
TitleMedia Editor of BBC News (2016–2023)
Presenter Today (2021–present)
Presenter University Challenge (2023–present)
Spouse
Charlotte Faircloth
​
(m. 2013)​
Children3

Early life and education

Rajan was born in Calcutta, India, to a mother from Poona and a Tamil father from Combaconum.[1] Because of Tamil naming customs, Rajan was born V. Amol, with the V. for his father's given name of Varadarajan.[1] This name was modified to Amol Varadarajan when he came to England and the family later adopted the surname Rajan.[1]

Rajan was three when his family moved to England,[8] and he was raised in Tooting, South West London.[9] The son of Hindu parents, he has said that he has been a "non-believer" in religion since the age of 15[10] and that he does not believe in God.[11] He was educated at Graveney School[12][8] in Tooting and graduated with a 2.2 Degree in English from Downing College, Cambridge,[13][14] where he contributed to Varsity.[15] He was editor of the student newspaper for a term in 2005.[16] At the age of 18, Rajan worked in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) through his gap year.[17]

Career

Rajan was the secondary presenter on The Wright Stuff, the daytime talk show on the Five network,[18] during its 2006–2007 series. He was also a researcher on the programme.

He joined The Independent newspaper in August 2007, where he was over the next few years a news reporter, sports correspondent, columnist, comment editor,[19] and editor of Independent Voices.[20] He has also written a Monday column for the London Evening Standard and restaurant criticism for The Independent on Sunday,[20] and has contributed to The Salisbury Review. The latter publication, according to Rajan, "still publishes writing on politics, history and culture that is among the finest produced in English today. It is frequently offensive, and I cannot say I often agree with its editorial position, but that is all the more reason to read it."[21]

In 2013, aged 29, Rajan became the first non-white editor of a national newspaper in over a century when his Independent appointment was announced.[8][12] (Rachel Beer was editor of The Sunday Times and The Observer between 1894 and 1902.[22]). For about eighteen months before his appointment, Rajan had been the media advisor to the Independent's proprietor Evgeny Lebedev, the son of Alexander Lebedev,[8][23] a former KGB economic attaché.[24] Rajan's predecessor as editor of The Independent, Chris Blackhurst, became Group Content Director.[25] When Lebedev announced a move to digital-only in February 2016, with the imminent closure of the print edition, it emerged that Rajan would remain with the company to help facilitate the change in direction.[26] During an October 2019 broadcast Rajan presented for BBC Radio 2 in 2019, journalist Peter Oborne accused Rajan of engaging in "client" and "crony" journalism.[27][28]

Rajan's role as editor-at-large for The Independent website ended after he was appointed the BBC's first Media Editor in November 2016, and he assumed his new post on 12 December.[4][29] He has also hosted The Big Debate on the BBC Asian Network.[30]

Since 2017, Rajan has provided holiday cover for several presenters on BBC Radio 2, including Simon Mayo,[31] Jeremy Vine[32][33] and Zoe Ball.[34] Rajan has occasionally presented The One Show.[35] From May 2017 he presented The Media Show on BBC Radio 4 in succession to Steve Hewlett, although he stepped down from that role when he joined the presenting team of the Today programme in 2021.[6][36]

In August 2022 it was announced that Rajan would take over from Jeremy Paxman as the host of University Challenge for the 53rd series.[7] Rajan had himself appeared on Christmas University Challenge (a version for celebrity alumni) in December 2020, representing Downing College.[37] He made his first appearance as question-master on 17 July 2023.

In June 2023 Rajan secured an interview for the BBC with former TV presenter Phillip Schofield, the first on TV since Schofield's resignation from ITV[38] in May 2023.

Opinions on the royal family

The Guardian wrote, "Amol Rajan, (...) is a declared republican who once branded the royal family as 'absurd' and the media as a 'propaganda outlet' for the monarchy."[39] In 2021, he publicly apologised for comments made in a 2012 article he wrote for The Independent, in which he described Prince Philip as a "racist buffoon" and Prince Charles (now Charles III) as "scientifically illiterate", and for an open letter he sent to Prince William and his wife Catherine while the two were expecting their first child, in which he described their public role as a "total fraud", the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as a "celebration of mediocrity", and the royal family as a clan "unusually full of fools".[40]

In November 2021, the BBC broadcast The Princes and the Press, a two-part documentary presented by Rajan that explored the relationship between the royal family and the media.[41] He also narrated the BBC podcast Harry, Meghan and the Media, which was released in January 2022.[42][43]

Personal life

Rajan is a cricket enthusiast,[44] and plays for the Authors XI.[45] His first book, Twirlymen, the Unlikely History of Cricket's Greatest Spin Bowlers, was published by Random House in 2011.[46] In September 2013, he married the academic Charlotte Faircloth, in Cambridge.[47][48][49] They live in London and have three children.[47][50]

References
  1. Rajan, Amol (17 March 2018). "Two words, nine letters and the endless, infinite trauma of my name". New Statesman. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  2. Paul, Molly (2 June 2023). "The career rise of BBC's Amol Rajan". PeopleWorld. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  3. Halliday, Josh (17 June 2013). "Amol Rajan appointed as Independent editor". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  4. "Amol Rajan appointed as BBC's first media editor". BBC News. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  5. @amolrajan (9 January 2023). "1/ So after 6 years, I'm no longer the BBC's Media Editor" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. "Amol Rajan". BBC. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. "Amol Rajan announced as new University Challenge host" (Press release). BBC Media Centre. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  8. Halliday, Josh (17 June 2013). "Amol Rajan appointed as Independent editor". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  9. Rajan, Amol (13 November 2012). "From Tooting to Islington, our high streets are bereft of buzz and variety". The Independent. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012.
  10. Rajan, Amol (6 January 2012). "Belief without a faith to follow". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  11. Rajan, Amol (27 December 2011). "Religious lessons of Christmas for a non-believer". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021.
  12. "The Independent's Amol Rajan Becomes UK's First Non-White National Editor". The Huffington Post. 17 June 2013.
  13. "Asian Network;s Big Debate: Amol Rajan". BBC Asian Network. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  14. admin (21 January 2016). "Downing Magazine and College Record". Downing College Cambridge. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  15. Sweney, Mark; Johnston, Chris (12 February 2016). "Independent aims to keep stars and boost quality in digital shift". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  16. Boycott, Rosie (17 April 2005). "What I learnt from a night with Daisy". The Observer.
  17. Rajan, Amol (14 August 2014). "Weakening the Foreign Office puts us all in peril". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  18. Rajan, Amol (16 September 2010). "Still top of the morning: Channel Five's The Wright Stuff turns 10". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
  19. "Amol Rajan". David Higham, Literary, Film & TV agents. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014.
  20. "Amol Rajan". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  21. Rajan, Amol (15 March 2012). "Sooner or later, every voice is heard and heeded". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 November 2012.
  22. Martyris, Nina (19 June 2013). "The First Lady of Fleet Street". Prospect. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  23. Turvill, first (16 September 2014). "Independent editor Amol Rajan: 'There's nothing unclear about it, the future's digital'". Press Gazette. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  24. Rajan, Amol (29 July 2017). "Is the Independent still independent?". BBC News. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  25. Turvill, William (17 June 2013). "Amol Rajan is made editor of The Independent as Chris Blackhurst becomes group content director". Press Gazette. London.
  26. Armstrong, Ashley (12 February 2016). "The Independent newspaper confirms an end to print production". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 February 2016.(subscription required)
  27. Tobitt, Charlotte (25 October 2019). "Peter Oborne weekly Daily Mail political column ends as he rounds on political press". Press Gazette. London. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  28. Scott, Callum Alexander (13 December 2019). "Establishment journalists have betrayed the ideals of the Fourth Estate". OpenDemocracy. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  29. "Former Independent editor Amol Rajan named BBC's new media editor". The Independent. London. 21 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  30. Ponsford, Dominic (21 November 2016). "Amol Rajan appointed as the BBC's first media editor". Press Gazette. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  31. "BBC Radio 2 - Simon Mayo Drivetime, Amol Rajan sits in". BBC. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  32. "Airport Drinking and Mental Stability, Jeremy Vine - BBC Radio 2". BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  33. "Amol Rajan sits in". BBC Radio 2.
  34. "Amol Rajan sits in...joined by Peter Crouch". BBC. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  35. Harp, Justin (24 September 2020). "The One Show suprises [sic] Mercury Prize 2020 winner on air in live TV reveal". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  36. "Amol Rajan announced as presenter of BBC Radio 4's The Media Show" (Press release). BBC Media Centre. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  37. Steerpike (18 August 2022). "Amol Rajan's University Challenge disaster". The Spectator. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  38. "Schofield apologises and says his career is over". BBC News. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  39. "The Princes and the Press review – more degrading airing of the royal dirty laundry". The Guardian. 23 November 2021.
  40. Furness, Hannah (2 December 2021). "BBC media editor apologises for calling Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 'total frauds' in royal documentary impartiality row". The Telegraph. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  41. Hyde, Marina (3 December 2021). "The princes and the press have a true 'special relationship' – only one side thinks it's real". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  42. Dooney, Emma (13 December 2021). "Meghan Markle and Prince Harry face major setback after controversial BBC documentary". Woman & Home. Retrieved 7 January 2022. The upcoming series, titled 'Harry, Meghan and the Media', will be presented by Amol Rajan and seeks to examine "allegations of sexism, racism and strategic leaks" within Buckingham Palace.
  43. "Harry, Meghan and the Media". BBC Radio. Retrieved 7 January 2022 – via Apple Podcasts.
  44. Hasan Suroor. "Amol Rajan makes Fleet Street history". The Hindu.
  45. "My Education Blog". theauthorsxi.com.
  46. Andy Bull "Rejoicing in the Twirlymen and the forgotten art of medium-paced spin", guardian.co.uk (blog), 17 May 2011
  47. Wilkins, Bridie (30 November 2020). "Amol Rajan's home is guaranteed to put a smile on your face – see inside". Hello!. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  48. Rajan, Amol (9 September 2013). "Five good reasons why I am ready to be wed". London Evening Standard.
  49. "Dr Charlotte Faircloth". UCL IRIS. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  50. Rajan, Amol (21 December 2020). "The winners: The 2020 Russell Prize for best writing". BBC News. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
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