Shashi Shekhar Vempati
A former CEO of Prasar Bharati who led the modernisation of Doordarshan and All India Radio from 2017 to 2022, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Shashi Shekhar Vempati is a technologist who ran India’s public broadcaster for five years. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education, from Karnataka [1].
From IIT to Infosys
Vempati was born on 2 September 1974 and graduated from IIT Bombay in 1995 [2]. He worked at Engineers India Limited and then, from 1997 to 2013, at Infosys, on wireless applications, mobility and sensor technology [2]. He then worked on digital platforms for citizen engagement, and from 2016 was a member of the Prasar Bharati board [2].
Prasar Bharati
As CEO of Prasar Bharati from 2017 to 2022, the youngest to hold the post, he led a broad modernisation of Doordarshan and All India Radio [2]. Changes included HD channels, digitised public archives, a digital news platform, e-auctions for DD FreeDish slots and the NewsOnAir app, which streams more than 200 radio stations worldwide [2]. DD India was launched as an English news channel [2]. He was also CEO of Rajya Sabha TV from 2017 to 2019 [2].
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Doordarshan’s rerun of the Ramayan drew record television audiences, and DD FreeDish carried free classes for lakhs of students [2].
He co-founded the DeepTech for Bharat Foundation, and wrote a book on the influence of Mann Ki Baat [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Shashi Shekhar Vempati — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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