Mamta Verma takes charge as director general of DD News

NEW DELHI: Mamta Verma has taken charge as director general of DD News, stepping into one of Indian public broadcasting’s toughest jobs at a moment of sharp scrutiny and rapid change.

A senior Indian Information Service officer, Verma assumes leadership as DD News grapples with a double bind: holding the line on credibility while racing to keep pace with digital disruption and restless viewers. Her appointment signals a push to steady the ship—and modernise it.

Over a long career in government, Verma has held key roles across information, communications and policy. Most recently, she served as joint secretary in the Union ministry of Panchayati Raj, where she worked on strengthening grassroots democracy, decentralisation and the flow of accurate information to citizens.

At DD News, the brief is clear but demanding. Beyond its traditional role as a government broadcaster, the channel is expected to sharpen its editorial edge, expand its national and global outlook, and rebuild trust in an era of noise, speed and scepticism.

The challenge is formidable. The mandate is public. And the clock is already ticking.