The professionals who are in direct and constant touch with politics and politicians are journalists for sure. No other profession than journalism allows you or attracts you to politics is a forgone conclusion. Hence, we have seen in the past many noted and unknown journalists have joined various Indian political parties. Some of them have even made their place in their newfound job and some failed miserably and faded away in quick time.
Recently ever since the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party in India, a big number of journalists have been attracted to it and have taken its primary membership as well. Delhi’s current deputy Chief Minister and one of the Aam Aadmi Party’s big heads, Manish Sisodia also was once a newsreader in a reputed news TV channel and also a documentary maker. But till a few months back it looked as if this trend is limited to the borders of the Gujarat state only. Then came a surprise change and known TV show host and journalist Isudan Gadhvi suddenly announced that he is going to join the Aam Aadmi Party.
In the past, there might be a few journalists from Gujarat who have tried their luck in politics, but their names are unknown to the people of Gujarat even today. But, Isudan Gadhvi is the most prominent name in Gujarati journalism to join politics to date in the history of Gujarat is also a truth. There is not much knowledge about Isudan Gadhvi outside Gujarat, maybe because both Isudan Gadhvi and the Aam Aadmi Party are relatively new to the politics of Gujarat.
In this feature, we have tried to provide you as much information about Isudan Gadhvi as possible.
Family and Educational Background of Isudan Gadhvi
Isudan Gadhvi belongs to a very humble background. We tried a lot to find his family details but we could only get his father’s name and nothing else. Isudan Gadhvi is from Pipaliya village of Jamkhambhaliya taluka of Jamnagar district. Jamnagar district is part of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, hence one can easily find the Saurashtra dialect in Isudan Gadhvi’s speeches. His father Kherajbhai Gadhvi was a farmer. Isudan Gadhvi has done his Masters in Mass Communications and Journalism from Gujarat University. Currently, Isudan Gadhvi lives with his mother, wife and, two children in Ahmedabad.
Journalism Journey of Isudan Gadhvi
After completing his master’s degree in mass communications and journalism in 2005, Isudan Gadhvi joined ETV Gujarati News, a news channel based in Hyderabad. Two years later Isudan Gadhvi was transferred to Porbandar in Gujarat and he was doing the on-field journalism from 2007 to 2011. In 2011 he was transferred again, this time to the capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar as a bureau chief for political and governance-related matters.
The table turned for Isudan Gadhvi in 2015 when he joined VTV Gujarati news channel as channel head. At that time he was the youngest ever Gujarati journalist that became a channel head. He used to host a panel discussion program on current affairs between 8 pm to 9 pm on weekdays under the name of ‘Mahamanthan’.
Very soon Mahamanthan became an extremely popular program in Gujarat. In this program, Isudan Gadhvi would not only discuss various issues with the panelists sitting in the studio, but he would also do a ‘phone-in’ where he would discuss the same issues with the public and get their views. This new style of anchoring also made Isudan Gandhvi very popular, especially in the villages of Gujarat. Farmers even used to ask for his help for their minor or major problems and in return, Isudan Gadhvi used to promise them to solve such problems.
But what made Isudan Gadhvi what he is today was when he did an investigation in the Dangs and Kaprada about the illegal severance of trees. That particular scam was alleged to be around Rs 150 crores. It is said that after this investigative report went on air, the Gujarat government had to inquire about it. This investigation not only made the image of him being a fearless journalist but put Isudan Gadhvi on the chairs of channel head of VTV news.
Political Journey of Isudan Gadhvi Starts
On June 14th, 2021 when the head of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal was on one day visit to Gujarat, Isudan Gadhvi declared that he is joining the party in presence of Arvind Kejriwal. But, before that Isudan Gadhvi at least a month back, resigned as channel head of VTV News. Then he roamed around a few villages of Gujarat and Saurashtra to get a sense of people.
While joining the Aam Aadmi Party, Isudan Gadhvi said that during his 15 to 16 years career as a journalist he has tried his best to give justice to the people of Gujarat. He said that he fought for farmers, small businessmen, and also parents regarding school fees hike. Now he wishes to clean the politics and hence he is joining the Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat.
Challenges for Isudan Gadhvi within and outside Aam Aadmi Party
Of course, the road for Isudan Gadhvi in Gujarat politics will not be that easy, not only that he has to work extremely hard to create a unique position for himself within the Aam Aadmi Party as well. Gopal Italiya is even now the most known face of the Aam Aadmi Party and just a few months back Surat’s business tycoon and popular social worker Mahesh Sawani has also joined the party.
These two big leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party already have their own popularity, hence Isudan Gadhvi, no matter how popular he was as a news anchor and journalist still has to fight for his presence within the party. Not only this, the Aam Aadmi Party is still a new political front in Gujarat. In Gujarat, for decades there has always been two-party politics, so while fighting for his presence within the party Isudan Gadhvi also has to work hard to make three-party politics visible in Gujarat first and later can think about gaining power here.
The Aam Aadmi Party has shown a strong presence only in the small parts of Surat in the Municipal corporation elections conducted during the months of February and March this year. From capturing one area of a huge city like Surat to a power center of Gujarat at Gandhinagar will certainly be a herculean task for Isudan Gadhvi and his party in next year’s assembly elections. We all need to wait and watch how he takes center stage in the Aam Aadmi Party, and also in Gujarat politics in the coming months. All in all it will be an interesting time ahead for all those political lovers of Gujarat.
Hope you have liked this feature on Isudan Gadhvi and you have got most of your questions regarding him, answered. Do let us know which other political leaders or other celebrities you want to have more details. Do comment on both these requests in the comments section given below.
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