Mrinal Pande is set to be  Prasar Bharati chairperson.

        Signaling an overhaul of the National Broadcaster & Public Service Broadcaster, Prasar Bharti ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the UPA Government cleared the name of  well known journalist Mrinal Pande for post of Prasar Bharati chairperson, a month after the previous chairman Arun Bhatnagar's resignation was accepted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

        Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on today ( 23-01-10.) announced  the selection of  Mrinal Pande as chairperson of Prasar Bharati by the appointment committee headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari ,for a term upto April 30, 2011 from the day she assumes office

      Demonstrating the need for ushering professionalism, the Government also appointed noted filmmakers Shyam Benegal and Muzaffar Ali as well as journalist Suman Dubey as members of the board that overlooks the functioning of state-run All India Radio and Doordarshan.The minister said "the presence of these personalities will add a lot of profile and vision in the functioning of Prasar Bharati". 

        The three members have been appointed after former members R N Bisaria and Sunil Dang retired in November 2009 while Mamta Shankar resigned leaving the positions vacant. 

     Asked about earlier media reports about the government planning to bring in an ordinance to wind up Prasar Bharati board and revamp the organisation, Soni said rumours about such a development were there earlier "but with appointment of a new chairperson and three new board members, I don't think any further change is required. Experience of these persons will add value to Prasar Bharati".

        When asked if the eminent panel of members would improve the working of the public broadcaster, I&B minister Ambika Soni said, "A full board comprising such eminent persons adds a lot of strength to a public broadcaster. It will help the public broadcasting system remain autonomous while fulfilling its responsibilities.'

       63-year-old Pande said she was both "surprised" and "happy" on being bestowed with the responsibility. 

      Daughter of the Hindi novelist Shivani, Pande has been an Indian television personality, journalist and an author. She has spent 27 years in journalism, variously at The Times of India, Doordarshan, NDTV and as an Editor at Saptahik Hindustan and Hindustan.

     She has written a few short stories and had been the #of the popular women’s magazine ‘Vama’ from 1984-87. She has also hosted a weekly interview show, titled ‘Baaton Baaton Mein’, on Lok Sabha TV.

     Pande had also spent several years on the National Commission for Self-Employed Women, inquiring into the conditions of rag-pickers, vegetable sellers and domestic help

"As of now I don't have full details about my appointment. I just received a letter from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting yesterday saying that I have been selected for the post," Pande told PTI.

"I don't much idea about the actual functioning of the chairperson and who all will be my colleagues. Once I assume office, only then I will be able to know the full extent of the job," she said.

When asked whether she was aware of the "challenges" attached with the job considering her predecessor Arun Bhatnagar had quit following regular run-ins between Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli and its board members, Pande said, "any responsibility is challenging. Once I assume office, then I will analyse the extent of responsibility bestowed on me."

Pande had resigned as chief editor of Hindi daily "Hindustan" in August last year after a nine-year tenure at the helm, saying she wanted to devote time to her writings and compilation of her mother's (renowned Hindi writer Shivani) novels.

       Bhatnagar, a former bureaucrat had resigned in May last year amid altercation between Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli and board members of the public broadcaster.

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