Rina Sonowal Kouli Appointed Doordarshan Director General

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Thursday, 20 August 2026

Rina Sonowal Kouli, a 1994-batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, has taken charge as the new Director General of Doordarshan, India’s national public broadcaster. Her appointment took effect on August 1, 2026, following a government order issued on July 29. She succeeds K. Satish Nambudiripad and will oversee the broadcaster’s programming and strategic direction.

Key Highlights:

• Rina Sonowal Kouli takes charge as Doordarshan Director General
• The 1994-batch IIS officer brings over three decades of government experience
• She will focus on expanding Doordarshan’s reach and audience engagement

Rina’s elevation marks a significant step in her career spanning more than three decades in government service. She has been appointed Director General, Doordarshan, New Delhi, after being promoted to the Selection Grade, which corresponds to the Director General level in the IIS. The appointment carries Level 15 of the Pay Matrix under the Central Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016.

Before joining Doordarshan, Rina served under the Ministry of Education. She held the position from December 2022 until July 2026, handling policy and administrative responsibilities in the higher education sector. During her tenure, she also contributed to discussions around higher education reforms, institutional coordination and academic policy.

Her move to Doordarshan followed her empanelment for promotion to the Selection Grade. To facilitate the transition, the government prematurely repatriated her to her parent cadre. Rina’s central deputation had originally been scheduled to continue until January 2028, but the tenure was curtailed to enable her promotion within the Indian Information Service.

The appointment also carries significance from a regional representation perspective. Rina becomes the first officer from Assam to head Doordarshan as Director General, highlighting the growing representation of professionals from the Northeast in senior public institutions.

Doordarshan welcomed Rina’s appointment, expressing confidence that her leadership would help strengthen the organisation, broaden its audience base and deepen engagement across television and digital platforms.

Her appointment comes as public broadcasting faces a rapidly changing media environment. With audiences increasingly consuming news and entertainment through streaming services, social media and digital platforms, Doordarshan must compete for attention while continuing to fulfil its public service mandate.

Rina is therefore expected to draw on her extensive policy and administrative experience to guide the broadcaster through this changing landscape. Her responsibilities will include strengthening programming, expanding audience outreach and supporting deeper engagement across both linear television and digital channels.

The appointment forms part of a broader round of senior government administrative changes. It positions Rina at the helm of one of India’s most prominent public broadcasting institutions at a time when digital transformation, audience engagement and public-service media remain central to the sector’s future.