Prabhash Sharma at 06:00, 5 May 2026

2026-05-05T06:00:38Z

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{{Short description|Ex Member of Parliament and Veteran Journalist}}
{{Orphan|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Santosh Bhartiya
| image = SantoshBhartiya.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|03|26}}{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
| citizenship =
| occupation = Author, Journalist and Politician
| predecessor = [[Khurshed Alam Khan]]
| successor = [[Salman Khurshid]]
| party = [[Janata Dal]]
| father = B. S. Rathore{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
}}

'''Santosh Bhartiya''' is an Indian journalist, author, film producer, and ex-member of parliament. <ref>{{Cite web |last=mxm_india |date=2011-09-23 |title=Choice between lion and jackal: Santosh Bhartiya |url=https://www.mxmindia.com/mjr/the-state-of-the-fourth-estate/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=MxMIndia |language=en-US}}</ref> He served as a member of [[9th Lok Sabha]] on the symbol of [[Janata Dal]] from [[Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Statistical Report On General Elections, 1989 To The Ninth Lok Sabha Volume II (Constituency Data - Summary) |url=https://ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in/Links/Books/89_Vol_II.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250308035224/https://ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in/Links/Books/89_Vol_II.pdf |archive-date=2025-03-08 |access-date=2026-03-12 |website=Wayback Machine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=🗳️ Santosh Bhartiya, Farrukhabad Lok Sabha Elections 1989 in India LIVE Results {{!}} Latest News, Articles & Statistics |url=https://www.latestly.com/elections/loksabha-elections/1989/uttar-pradesh/farrukhabad/santosh-bhartiya/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=LatestLY |language=en}}</ref> He is the author of ''V.P Singh, Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi & Me'', ''Kamzor Duniya Ka Rasta'', and ''Nishane Par''.

In July 2021, Bhartiya was identified as one of the potential targets of surveillance in the [[Pegasus (spyware)|Pegasus spyware scandal]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bhardwaj |first=Ananya |date=2021-07-18 |title=List of Indian journalists, activists allegedly put on surveillance using Pegasus |url=https://theprint.in/tech/list-of-indian-journalists-activists-allegedly-put-on-surveillance-using-pegasus/698550/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref> where journalists, activists, and political figures were reportedly monitored using spyware developed by Israel's [[NSO Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=ANI |date=2021-07-19 |title=Phone numbers of over 40 Indian journalists leaked by Pegasus spyware |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/Jul/18/phone-numbers-of-over-40-indian-journalistsleaked-bypegasusspyware-2332039.html |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== Biography ==
He began his journalism career with [[Ravivar|''Ravivaar'']] in the late 1970s and later joined [[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] in 1985. In 1986, he founded ''Chauthi Duniya'', the first Hindi weekly of its kind. Bhartiya was also instrumental in launching Jain TV, India's first private news channel.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Loksabha members : Bhartiya , Shri Santosh - Data is Info: Data is more useful if it is made available in a better format. |url=https://datais.info/loksabha/members/Bhartiya+,+Shri+Santosh/45a265410fb66076c524e5f35e055bcc/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Data is Info |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title="V.P Singh, Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi aur Main" |url=https://www.santoshbhartiya.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/English-About-book-About-Author-Editorial-Buying-Links.pdf}}</ref>

Bhartiya was among those targeted in the Pegasus spyware scandal, a controversy involving the use of spyware developed by [[Israel]]’s NSO Group to monitor the phones of [[journalist]]s, [[Activism|activists]], and [[political figure]]s. The scandal raised significant concerns over privacy and [[surveillance]] in India.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-01 |title=WhatsApp Snooping: Praful Patel Among 41 Targeted Through Pegasus Spyware |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/praful-patel-pegasus-whatsapp_in_5dbbb169e4b057bf506f947b |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Political ===
Santosh Bhartiya served as a Member of Parliament in the 9th Lok Sabha, representing the [[Farrukhabad]] constituency in [[Uttar Pradesh]], where he defeated [[Salman Khurshid]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Farrukhabad lok sabha constituency election results from Uttar Pradesh for year 1989 {{!}} ElectionsIndia.Live |url=https://electionsindia.live/loksabhaelections/Uttar-PradeshState/FarrukhabadConstituency/1989-result/6111b3c1fec45aefe8f321d50c4ca378984880f0/6195a115d4e3e5896ac06b5a51dd018f99778c5a/#google_vignette |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Elections India Live |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=mxm_india |date=2011-09-23 |title=Choice between lion and jackal: Santosh Bhartiya |url=https://www.mxmindia.com/mjr/the-state-of-the-fourth-estate/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=MxMIndia |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Writing ===
Bhartiya is the editor-in-chief of ''Chauthi Duniya,'' the first weekly newspaper in Hindi.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-14 |title=Home |url=https://chauthiduniya.com/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Chauthi Duniya |language=en-US}}</ref>

Bhartiya wrote the book ''VP Singh, Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi aur Mein''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=V.P. Singh, Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi aur Main - Urd… |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61627157-v-p-singh-chandrashekhar-sonia-gandhi-aur-main---urdu-edition |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Goodreads |language=en}}</ref> Bhartiya reflects on his close associations with [[V. P. Singh|V.P. Singh]] and [[Chandrashekhar]], recounting critical events during their tenures as Prime Ministers, as well as the political strategies and challenges they faced.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharma |first=Vinod |title=When VP Singh worked to make Sonia Gandhi the PM in 2004 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/when-vp-singh-worked-to-make-sonia-gandhi-the-pm-in-2004-101625135546385.html |work=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Pranjal |title=When Rajasthan CM Lost Post Over 6-Minute News Report |url=https://news24online.com/india/when-rajasthan-cm-lost-post-over-6-minute-news-report-prn/180140 |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=News24 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-14 |title=किताबवाला: राजीव गांधी की मौत के बाद सोनिया, अमिताभ पर क्यों भड़की थीं, सौरभ के सामने खुलासा! |url=https://www.thelallantop.com/lallankhas/post/kitabwala-senior-journalist-and-former-politician-santosh-bhartiya-with-his-book-v-p-singh-chandrashekhar-sonia-gandhi-aur-main |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=The Lallantop |language=hi}}</ref>

Bhartiya has also produced films such as ''Hogaya Dimaag Ka Dahi, Fatso, and Bhaiyyaji Superhit.''{{cn|date=February 2025}}

== Literary works ==

* {{Cite book |last=Bhartiya |first=Santosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-F07ALiguEC |title=Dalit And Minority Empowerment |date=2008-09-01 |publisher=Rajkamal Prakashan |isbn=978-81-267-1599-2 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Bhartiya |first=Santosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k_VJQhPM1jEC |title=Patrakarita : Naye Daur, Naye Pratiman |date=2005-09-01 |publisher=Rajkamal Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7119-986-0 |language=hi}}
* {{Cite book |last=Bhartiya |first=Santosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Jzp1l1dB4sC |title=Nishane Par, Samay, Samaj Aur Rajniti |date=2005-01-01 |publisher=Radhakrishna Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7119-987-7 |language=hi}}
* {{Cite book |last=Bhartiya |first=Santosh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sMwvEAAAQBAJ |title=V.P Singh, Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi Aur Main: "इतिहास ग्रंथ" जो अब तक ना कहा गया ना लिखा गया |date=2021-05-24 |publisher=Warrior's Victory Publishing House |isbn=978-81-951039-5-9 |language=hi}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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{{catimprove|date=February 2025}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhartiya, Santosh}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]

Santosh Bhartiya (journalist) - Revision history

Prabhash Sharma at 06:00, 5 May 2026