Vikas Sharma was the face of Republic Bharat’s 9 PM show, Ye Bharat Ki Baat Hai, and one of Hindi television news’ most loved anchors. Years after his passing, people still search for his salary, curious about what a prime-time Hindi news anchor earns in India.
Here is the honest answer first: no official source ever disclosed Vikas Sharma’s exact salary, and there is no reliable public record of his pay. What this guide does is give you verified facts about his career, plus realistic, clearly labeled estimates of what senior Hindi news anchors earn in India in 2026.
Vikas Sharma Republic Bharat Salary: Quick Answer
Vikas Sharma’s personal salary was never made public by Republic Media Network or any credible source. Any website quoting an exact figure is guessing. However, he was a prime-time anchor on a national Hindi news channel, and anchors at that level in India typically earn between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per month in 2026, with star anchors going higher.
Salary figures in Indian media vary widely by channel, experience, show slot, and negotiation, so there is no single correct number. The tables below break down what anchors at different levels actually earn, based on job-portal data and industry reports.
Who Was Vikas Sharma? Career Profile
Vikas Sharma was an Indian journalist and television anchor from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was part of the launch team of Republic Bharat, the Hindi news channel of the Republic Media Network, and spent about two years with the channel.
He became widely known as the anchor of Ye Bharat Ki Baat Hai, the channel’s flagship 9 PM prime-time show. Beyond anchoring, he worked as a field reporter, often hosting his shows from the ground and traveling across India to cover stories. Republic’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami publicly praised his unique presentation style and his courage as a journalist.
Tragically, Vikas Sharma passed away on February 4, 2021, at the age of 36, due to post-COVID complications. He was admitted to Kailash Hospital in Noida. His death sent shockwaves through the Indian media industry, and tributes poured in from colleagues and viewers alike.
What Was Vikas Sharma’s Actual Salary? The Honest Answer
Let us be direct: there is no verified figure for Vikas Sharma’s salary anywhere in the public domain. Republic Bharat never published anchor pay scales, and no credible media report quoted his compensation. This is normal in Indian television journalism, where anchor salaries are negotiated privately and almost never disclosed.
What we can do honestly is place him in the right pay bracket. He was not a junior reporter. He was a prime-time anchor on a national channel, one of the most watched Hindi news anchors in India, hosting a flagship 9 PM debate show. Anchors in that position sit in the upper tier of industry pay.
| Detail | What Is Verified |
|---|---|
| Employer | Republic Bharat (Republic Media Network) |
| Role | Prime-time anchor, 9 PM show Ye Bharat Ki Baat Hai; also field reporter |
| Tenure | Part of the launch team; about two years at the channel |
| Reported salary | None publicly disclosed |
| Industry estimate for his bracket | Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per month (senior prime-time anchors, estimate) |
Source for career facts: Republic Media Network’s official tribute (Republic World, February 2021) and reporting by Lokmat Times and Newsd. Salary bracket: industry estimate, see methodology below.
Hindi News Anchor Salary in India: 2026 Estimates by Experience
Since Vikas Sharma’s exact pay is not public, the most useful answer is what anchors at his level and other levels earn. The ranges below are industry estimates drawn from salary databases and job portals in 2026, including Jooble’s anchoring data (average around Rs 49,000 per month across all levels as of May 2026) and industry pay reports for national Hindi news channels.
| Experience Level | Estimated Monthly Salary (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level / junior anchor | Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 | Fresh graduates, small or regional channels |
| Mid-level anchor (3 to 7 years) | Rs 75,000 to Rs 1,50,000 | Regular bulletin presenters on established channels |
| Senior / prime-time anchor | Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000 | Flagship show hosts on national channels; Vikas Sharma’s bracket |
| Star anchors / top faces | Rs 5,00,000 and above | Nationally recognized names, often with ownership stakes or show revenue share |
These are gross salary estimates, not in-hand pay, and they describe private-sector television news only. A prime-time slot matters enormously. An anchor on a 9 PM debate show commands far more than a daytime bulletin reader, because the channel ties that person’s face directly to its ratings.
Monthly Salary: Gross Pay vs In-Hand Pay
When people search for an anchor’s salary, they usually want the in-hand figure, the amount that lands in the bank account. Media salary reports almost always quote gross or CTC figures, which are higher than take-home pay.
For a senior anchor on a private channel, the gross salary typically includes a fixed monthly component plus variable pay tied to performance or show ratings. From the gross figure, standard deductions apply: income tax (depending on the tax regime chosen), provident fund contributions, and professional tax in some states. Insurance premiums and any loan deductions would reduce it further.
So if a senior prime-time anchor’s gross pay is Rs 3 lakh per month, the in-hand amount could realistically be in the Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.4 lakh range after deductions. This is an illustrative example, not a calculation of Vikas Sharma’s actual pay, because his exact gross figure is not known.
Factors That Affect a News Anchor’s Salary
Anchor pay in India is not set by any pay commission. It is negotiated, and the numbers swing on a few clear factors.
Channel and reach. National Hindi news channels pay more than regional ones. A channel with top ratings has more advertising revenue to share with its faces. Unlike government jobs, which follow a fixed pay matrix such as the ones described in our SSC GD salary guide, media pay has no slab system at all.
Time slot. Prime time, roughly 8 PM to 10 PM, is where channels earn the most ad money, so anchors in those slots earn the most. Morning and afternoon bulletin anchors earn noticeably less for the same experience level.
Personal brand. Anchors with a loyal audience, strong social media following, or a signature show style get better contracts. Vikas Sharma’s growing popularity on the 9 PM show is exactly the kind of thing that strengthens an anchor’s bargaining position.
Additional roles. Anchors who also report from the field, produce segments, or handle editorial duties often earn more than pure studio presenters. Vikas Sharma did both anchoring and ground reporting.
City. Most national channels are based in Noida and Mumbai. Pay is benchmarked to those metros, and senior anchors sometimes get housing or travel allowances on top.
How News Anchor Pay Works in India
Unlike a government job, where you can look up a pay level and allowances in a notification, a news anchor’s compensation is a private contract. Here is how it usually works.
Most senior anchors are salaried employees with a monthly fixed salary plus an annual bonus. Some top anchors work on retainer contracts, paid a fixed fee per show or per month. A few star names negotiate a share of their show’s sponsorship or advertising revenue, which is why their total earnings can look very different from their base salary.
Contracts also decide exclusivity. A prime-time anchor is typically exclusive to one network and cannot appear on rival channels. In exchange, the channel invests in promoting that anchor’s face and show. Allowances can include travel for field assignments, wardrobe for on-air appearances, and health insurance, though these vary by employer and are rarely spelled out publicly.
This is very different from structured government pay. For comparison, roles like the BSF have clearly defined pay levels and allowances, as covered in our BSF salary structure guide. In media, two anchors with the same job title on the same channel can earn very different amounts.
How to Become a News Anchor in India
Vikas Sharma’s own path shows the typical route. He studied broadcast journalism at the master’s level, then worked his way up through reporting before becoming a prime-time anchor. That sequence, education, reporting experience, then anchoring, is the standard career ladder in Indian television news.
Aspiring anchors usually start with a degree or diploma in journalism or mass communication. Entry often comes through internships or trainee reporter roles at news channels. From there, reporters who are comfortable on camera, have clear Hindi or English diction, and can think on their feet move into presenting. Prime-time anchoring comes after years of proving oneself, usually with a mix of field reporting and studio work.
The skills that matter most are not just reading from a teleprompter. News judgment, the ability to handle live debates, ground reporting experience, and a distinct on-air personality are what separate senior anchors from the rest.
Vikas Sharma Republic Bharat Salary: FAQs
What was Vikas Sharma’s salary at Republic Bharat?
No official figure was ever disclosed. Republic Media Network never published his pay, and no credible report quoted it. Based on his role as a prime-time anchor on a national Hindi channel, industry estimates place anchors of his level at Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per month.
What is the salary of a Republic Bharat anchor in 2026?
Republic Bharat does not publish anchor salaries. Based on industry estimates for national Hindi news channels, junior anchors earn around Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 per month, mid-level anchors earn Rs 75,000 to Rs 1,50,000, and senior prime-time anchors earn Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh or more.
What was Vikas Sharma’s net worth?
There is no reliable public record of Vikas Sharma’s net worth. Any specific number you see online is speculation. He was 36 when he passed away in 2021 and was at the rising stage of a successful anchoring career.
What show did Vikas Sharma anchor on Republic Bharat?
He anchored Ye Bharat Ki Baat Hai, the channel’s flagship 9 PM prime-time show. He was part of Republic Bharat’s launch team and also worked as a field reporter.
When and how did Vikas Sharma die?
Vikas Sharma passed away on February 4, 2021, at the age of 36, due to post-COVID complications. He was admitted to Kailash Hospital in Noida. His death was confirmed by the Republic Media Network.
How much do Hindi news anchors earn per month in India?
It depends on experience and slot. Industry estimates for 2026: entry-level anchors Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000, mid-level Rs 75,000 to Rs 1,50,000, senior prime-time anchors Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and top star anchors above Rs 5 lakh per month. These are gross estimates, not in-hand pay.
Do news anchors get allowances apart from salary?
Senior anchors may receive health insurance, travel allowances for field assignments, wardrobe support, and performance bonuses, but these vary by channel and contract and are rarely disclosed publicly.
Conclusion
Vikas Sharma’s salary was never publicly disclosed, and honest reporting means saying so instead of inventing a number. What is certain is that he had reached the prime-time tier of Hindi television news, where anchors in India earn among the highest salaries in broadcast journalism. If you are researching anchor pay as a career option, the realistic 2026 range runs from about Rs 25,000 a month for freshers to Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for senior prime-time anchors, with star names earning more. As with any private-sector media role, the exact figure always depends on the channel, the slot, and the individual’s brand.
Sources: Republic Media Network tribute via Republic World (February 2021); Lokmat Times; Newsd; anchoring salary data from Jooble (May 2026); industry pay estimates for Indian news channels. Salary ranges are labeled estimates, not official figures. Article updated October 2026.
