Pradeep Singh Dutta (nee:Pardeep Dutta) , Senior Editor, Times Now - a journalist from Jammu & Kashmir - became the first and only turbaned scribe in the world to cover the war from Ukraine - the most dangerous frontier of the world. He is the first war correspondent from J&K.
Pradeep Dutta is one of India's best known broadcast journalists, with over 20 years of experience in covering counter insurgency and counter terror operations in Ukraine for two months covering various aspects of Russia-Ukraine war from ground zero. He is known for his aggressive and hard hitting reporting. In many places because of his turban, people used to come and click selfies with him. The best thing is that because of his turban they immediately get to know that he is an Indian.
Born in Baramulla in the family of S. Gurpurab Singh Dutta and Sardarni Naseeb Kaur. His grandfather S. Lachman Singh Dutta achieved martyrdom while fighting with invaders in 1947. Pradeep started his career as a reporter in The Indian Express and later he shifted to electronic media. Presently he is working as senior editor in Times Now TV Channel. Pradeep Dutta, is one of the most animated and passionate journalists of India. Has several years of experience in covering issues related to traditional and non traditional security. Whether it is direct reporting from encounter site in Pathankot or terror strike in any part of Jammu and Kashmir, or trekking non stop 16 hours to reach the post at the LoC, which is at a height of 13,000 feet or spending a night at a forward post on the International border to get a first-hand report of jawans keeping watch against all odds, Pradeep is at the frontlines before most of his contemporaries.
Pradeep is the recipient of the highest award at Bennett and Coleman's Company Limited (Times of India Group), the Chairman's Award For Excellence for best reporting, Mehboob-ul-Haq award by Colombo based Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) for joint research with academician from Karachi on Indo-Pak Water Politics, and has been the Charkha-Sanjoy Ghose Fellow for Peace & Development, 2004-05. Besides his home state Pradeep has actively covered political developments and electoral coverage in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. For his reporting, in the year 2022 Pradeep was bestowed with the J & K state award for excellence in field of journalism.In 2022 he also bagged prestigious ENBA award in the best appt reporting category. His reportage on Pak Terror tunnel was adjudged best during the 14th Edition of ENBQ News Broadcasting Awards. The award was given to him during a glittering ceremony at Hotel Imperial Of New Delhi by Union Minister of Broadcasting Anurag Thakur.
In 2023 Pradeep gir Gash Taruk received the 2023 award for bold and hard hitting journalism. In 2023 he was also bestowed with the Duggar Karamyodha Award for his war reporting. The award was given to him by the Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Ramdas Athawale. Pradeep, from time to time has written and presented papers in national and international conferences on topics related to small arms proliferation, Indo Pak relations, Indo Pak Water apologetics, Elections 2014 - Media & Modi, Politics of Displacement and Trust Deficit etc.
He is also a resource person at Rashtriya Suraksha University, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Police Academy and Cluster University.
Besides this he writes poetry on sensitive issues like partition, Kashmir imbroglio, woman literacy, girl education under shadow of gun etc that have been published in premium places. His poem on Peshawar school attack was appreciated in Pakistan too.
