A flower showering on February 2025, as Indian journalist walked out of the tarmac of a Pakistan Airport 19 years after landing here and was accompanied by sloganeering of ‘Vikrant Bhai Zindabad,’ it crossed borders within hours to capture national imaginations both in India and Pakistan. The reception said something about what 28 years of writing on cricket had manufactured: a fame that superseded sports itself, at times.
Vikrant Gupta Age in 2026: 53 years. The birthdate of the veteran has been Jan 12, 1973. He is the Senior Executive Editor at Aaj Tak and one of the founding members of the highly popular Sports Tak channel. He played Ranji Trophy for Punjab prior to the transition into journalism. Gupta has reported on five Cricket World Cups, cracked significant exclusives, and conducted interviews of all leading Indian cricketers in the last 30 years.
Vikrant Gupta: Full Profile
| DETAIL | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Full name | Vikrant Gupta |
| Date of birth | 12 January 1973 |
| Age (2026) | 53 years old |
| Birthplace | Amritsar, Punjab, India (moved to Chandigarh at around age 7) |
| Current residence | Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches (approximately 180 cm) |
| Weight | 74 to 76 kg |
| Wife | Minna Gupta |
| Sons | Aarav Gupta and Ishaan Gupta |
| Current role | Senior Executive Editor, Aaj Tak and India Today TV; Host and creator, Sports Tak (YouTube) |
| Career started | May 1997, The Indian Express, as Special Correspondent |
| Joined Aaj Tak | 2003 |
| Salary (estimated) | Rs 5 to 7 lakh per month |
| Net worth (estimated) | Rs 10 to 15 crore |
| World Cups covered | Five (2003 South Africa, 2007 West Indies, 2011 India, 2015 Australia/New Zealand, 2019 England) |
| Social media | Instagram: over 1 million followers; active on X (formerly Twitter) |
| Interests and fitness | Yoga, horse riding, cricket history and biography reading |
Vikrant Gupta Age: Born 12 January 1973
He was born in Amritsar, Punjab, on January 12, 1973. By 2026 he is 53. The family migrated to Chandigarh at the age of about seven, the same place that he spent the better part of his life doing homework and attending school. Incidentally, his birthday, like in the case of Indian domestic cricket, coincides with January – which is probably appropriate given the central role sport plays in his life.
One can’t help but be astounded by both his age, and the length of professional career it represents. His first article appeared in May 1997. He has covered Indian cricket for over three decades, spanned many eras of the sport, several profound changes in how it is watched, viewed and absorbed – from newspapers to TV to now Sports Tak, which he was one of the prime mover behind changing Indian sport for the YouTube generation.
Early Life and Education: From Amritsar to Chandigarh
A young Gupta spent his formative years in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh where his family relocated from Amritsar; he grew up in a Hindu family. In Chandigarh, his childhood at the Christ High School allowed him access to the sport both as spectator and active participant. Historically, Chandigarh, being home to a mix of athletes, politicians, administrators and professionals has also been churning out top cricket talent, an atmosphere seeped in Gupta from childhood.
At no stage did he consciously plan to become a journalism journalist; his career trajectory has not always been aligned with this passion.
After a stint at DAV College, Chandigarh, where he read for a Bachelor of Arts in English, Gupta later obtained a Master of Arts degree in English from Panjab University in 1994. Subsequently, he got a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Journalism in 1996 from Panjab University – the qualification that paved the way for his career in media. In many interviews Gupta has attributed this turn in his life to a passing comment made by a close family acquaintance, Madan Lal – former Indian cricketer who showed him a form for mass communication entrance exam almost by chance! He appeared for it, cleared it and never looked back.
Had Madan Lal not made this almost out-of-the-blue remark, Gupta could never have carved out a niche and became an anchor man of Indian sports’ media industry!
The Ranji Trophy Chapter: Journalist Who Played First Class Cricket
But before the journalism, there was the sport. In his youth, Vikrant Gupta actually played Ranji Trophy (India’s domestic first-class competition), and was part of Punjab’s under-19 side too. While it didn’t result in a full-time professional career, it granted him a much more important commodity for the role he was destined to fill – access to the dressing room environment, the pressurecooker conditions of India’s top-class cricket, and the psychological nuances of a cricketer on duty.
That playing background is, time and again, listed by his interviewees, colleagues, and sport analysts alike, as the trait that differentiates his insights and commentary from presenters with a more conventional media or communication-oriented pedigree.
His opinions on player technique and psyche hold a different degree of credence when uttered by someone who has actually been under the grill in a Ranji match. Many of the high-profile cricketers Gupta has interviewed with respect to the game in India have testified to the insight into the sport he garners through his firsthand experience.
Career Timeline: From The Indian Express to Sports Tak
The Indian Express Years: 1997 to 2003
His broadcasting career began in the broadcast world in May 1997, starting at The Indian Express, one of India’s premier English-speaking newspapers. He worked in the printed article 10 years, learning to compose under newsstand scribbler of considerable expertise (the then significant Indian media personalities). “The Indian Express years provided the report foundations; supply building controls, structure a narrative on deadline, attainability which is provided to working for a distinguished establishment’.
In his printed work, Vikrant Gupta paid primary attention to the national cricketers and gained from the players across country, experience of how to build knowledge around the cricket.
His published articles from the then era reflects that these ten years ‘prepared the ground for the ability to question the truth and be able to distinguish when to speak.’
Joining Aaj Tak: 2003 and the World Cup Launch
His decision to jump on board with the India Today Group in 2003 was by no means accidental; he was specifically hired to report on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 in South Africa, which was to become his maiden overseas assignment and a defining broadcast for his television career. It was an era of eventful, or perhaps eventful, Indian cricket history, what with the ignominious early exit from the tournament after losing to the dominant Australians, and then an unlikely capitulation against the Africans en route to a discredited performance against Zimbabwe, and Gupta’s commentary throughout would build him an audience and reputation as a sports broadcaster who was adept at covering both triumphs and heartbreaks on the cricket field. Within years of his assignment in 2003 he was rising the ranks at Aaj Tak eventually become the Sports Editor and in many respects the defining personality of the channel’s cricket segment, a journey of more than two decades in what is traditionally a field marked by frequent job changes.
Sports Tak: Building a Digital Sports Empire
Seeing this seismic change in consumer behaviour in Indian cricket, Gupta founded Sports Tak, a predominantly YouTube based news channel focused on all things cricket, from live match discussions to previews and interviews, to detailed analysis of the gentleman’s game. As of now Sports Tak is one of the most successful Sports Channels globally on YouTube.
He continues to serve as an anchor in Aaj Tak simultaneously, ensuring his ubiquitous presence on both Television as well as online spaces. It’s a format that suits him – longer, detailed arguments and debates between the panellists, in depth discussions on cricketing action and breaking news reports without the paraphernalia of a Television studio. He hosts shows like Salaam Cricket and others in Sports Tak, a major event in the IPL’s off-season calendar.
| YEAR | MILESTONE |
|---|---|
| 1994 | MA English, Panjab University, Chandigarh |
| 1996 | BA Mass Communication and Journalism, Panjab University |
| May 1997 | Joins The Indian Express as Special Correspondent, begins cricket journalism |
| 2003 | Joins Aaj Tak/India Today Group. Covers 2003 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, first major TV assignment |
| 2007 | Covers Cricket World Cup, West Indies |
| 2011 | Covers Cricket World Cup in India, MS Dhoni lifts the trophy on home soil |
| 2015 | Covers Cricket World Cup, Australia and New Zealand |
| 2019 | Covers Cricket World Cup, England |
| 2024 July | T20 World Cup trophy photo controversy goes viral on social media |
| 2024 November | Breaks exclusive story that India would not travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025 |
| 2025 February | Visits Pakistan for Champions Trophy, first visit in 19 years. Reception in Lahore goes viral. |
Vikrant Gupta Salary: What He Earns
His salary at Aaj Tak is not released by the channel, who do not disclose individual anchor or editor payments. A review of figures from various Indian sports and media biography websites suggest his monthly take is around Rs 5-7 lakh, or around Rs 60-84 lakh a year solely from television broadcast.
While this is near the high end of Indian news anchor remuneration, it does not take into account other income. As creator of the immensely popular Sports Tak, one of the biggest sports channels on YouTube anywhere in the world, he generates additional income via platform monetization, brand endorsements and sponsorship arrangements, and often news anchors of his calibre with active digital followings will earn as much if not more through digital activity as from their contracted employer.
Additional income derives from his public appearances at events, on panel discussions, anchoring cricket functions, and the odd bit of advertising and sponsorship involving products relevant to cricket or sports media, the overall picture is one of diversification.
Vikrant Gupta Net Worth: The Rs 10 to 15 Crore Estimate
Based on the above it would seem a conservative figure in the range of Rs 10 to Rs 15 crore (over USD 1.1mn to USD 1.8mn depending on the current dollar to rupee rate) would be the most reliable and regularly cited net worth. This figure would consist of the earnings accrued over his nearly 30-year journalism career across print and television media, revenues and property/investments through his own media venture – Sports Tak – at his home in Noida, and income still accruing from his role on Aaj Tak and other media assignments. These estimates though are as unreliable for a TV journalism professional, who invariably holds considerable real estate, which depreciates slower than inflation and can be disproportionate compared to the original purchase value of property. As relative a fact for the sake of it; other popular profiles in senior roles in India TV Journalism have figures that are often an multiple of these; however, we can consider Rs 10-15 crore as the widely accepted ballpark figure.
Controversies: The Moments That Sparked Debate
The T20 World Cup Trophy Photograph: 2024
Back in July 2024, after India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup in Barbados, Vikrant Gupta was clicked with the trophy on the flight returning from the Caribbean. The picture soon went viral, and the outrage did not lag behind. The controversy was not about the man’s posturing with the trophy; it was because he had during and in the weeks leading up to the event repeatedly stated, as fact, that the trophy should never be handled by anyone other than World Champions, calling out people and players for daring to touch the trophy.
Trolls had unearthed old tweets/videos of his pronouncements against others for their proximity to the World Cup and juxtaposed it with the photograph of Gupta holding the trophy as a damning indictment of hypocrisy.
He stayed mum at the time. The incident became a classic example of how it looks when someone holds a certain position and treats oneself differently. It neither affected his career nor tainted him as a pundit in the long run but still serves as a reference point whenever there is a talk about his credentials.
Champions Trophy 2025 Coverage: Controversies and Pakistan Visit
When Gupta covered the India Pakistan Champions Trophy dispute in late 2024, it elicited an outpouring from both sides. He was among the first to report the decision not to travel, a “media tactic … designed to mentally prepare Pakistan about the decision which we knew was coming, not to await an official announcement”. Pakistani cricket media had objected to the narrative, accusing him of being an apologist for BCCI interests rather than a journalist.
When Gupta visited Pakistan in February 2025 to report from Lahore (the first visit in 19 years), fans who had vociferously condemned him in broadcasts gave him a hero’s welcome.
(And then a “Vikrant Bhai Zindabad” send off at the airport.) He documented his social media travel log, lauding hospitality and atmosphere, somewhat assuaging past antipathy against him. The episode sparked comments on the considerable goodwill towards cricket reporters who make the journey from India.
Vikrant Gupta Wife and Family: Minna Gupta and Sons
Vikrant Gupta is married to Minna Gupta and the duo has two sons – Aarav Gupta and Ishaan Gupta. They are residing in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, which has now turned into one of the main residential Hubs for Media fraternity of Delhi-based people. The family stays entirely secluded from his public professional persona and his social media profiles. Be it his cricket commentary, discussions about news media, or other public platforms, neither Minna Gupta nor his two sons are at any position to be seen, nor should be, according to the veteran cricketer and television presenter.
From a Ranji Pitch to Lahore Airport
It’s been 53 years in which Vikrant Gupta has been everything: A Ranji Trophy player who stumbled into journalism thanks to a passing tip from Madan Lal, the senior executive editor at Aaj Tak, the man behind one of India’s most popular YouTube sports channels, the reporter who landed the most sensational India-Pakistan cricket exclusive of the modern era, the celebrity who posed, photographed, with a trophy that he’d declared should be untouchable by mortals, and then strode into Lahore 19 years after his departure, accepting a shower of roses from jubilant fans. All of which he’s made out of a 29-year journey.
Frequently Asked Questions: Vikrant Gupta Age and Career
What is Vikrant Gupta’s age?
Vikrant Gupta age in 2026 is 53 years old. He was born on 12 January 1973 in Amritsar, Punjab, India, and grew up in Chandigarh after his family relocated there when he was around seven years old.
What is Vikrant Gupta’s salary?
Vikrant Gupta’s net worth is estimated at Rs 10 to 15 crore, or approximately USD 1.1 million to 1.8 million. This estimate is based on nearly three decades of earnings from print journalism, television broadcasting, and his Sports Tak digital media platform, along with property and investment assets accumulated across his career.
What is Vikrant Gupta’s net worth?
Vikrant Gupta’s net worth is estimated at Rs 10 to 15 crore, or approximately USD 1.1 million to 1.8 million. This estimate is based on nearly three decades of earnings from print journalism, television broadcasting, and his Sports Tak digital media platform, along with property and investment assets accumulated across his career.
Did Vikrant Gupta play cricket?
Yes. Before entering journalism, Vikrant Gupta played Ranji Trophy cricket for Punjab and also represented Punjab at the Under-19 level. His playing career did not develop into a sustained first-class career, but the experience gave him an insider’s understanding of professional cricket that is widely credited as a defining quality of his broadcast analysis.
What is Vikrant Gupta’s controversy about?
Vikrant Gupta’s most discussed controversy came in July 2024 when he was photographed holding India’s T20 World Cup trophy on the flight back from Barbados. The backlash arose because he had previously and specifically stated on multiple occasions that the World Cup trophy should only be held by World Champions, making the photograph appear directly hypocritical. Old videos of his earlier statements were widely shared alongside the photograph. A separate controversy arose from his Champions Trophy 2025 coverage, where his role in breaking the India-Pakistan standoff story drew criticism from Pakistani cricket media.
Who is Vikrant Gupta’s wife?
Vikrant Gupta’s wife is Minna Gupta. The couple have two sons, Aarav Gupta and Ishaan Gupta. The family lives in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Gupta keeps his family life private and his wife and sons do not appear in his public professional presence.
How many World Cups has Vikrant Gupta covered?
Vikrant Gupta has covered five Cricket World Cups in his broadcast career: the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, the 2011 World Cup in India, the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and the 2019 World Cup in England. His 2003 World Cup coverage in South Africa was his first major international television assignment after joining Aaj Tak that same year.
Also Read About: Kapil Dev Wife: Who Is Romi Bhatia and Their Full Story
