The end of one time and the beginning of another
Saurabh Dwivedi: Hindi speakers who read the news never saw The Lallantop as just another digital newsroom. It was a voice that sounded like one of us: curious, brave, playful when it needed to be, and serious when it needed to be. Saurabh Dwivedi was the voice behind that for more than ten years. He was a journalist, storyteller, interviewer, and friend to many.
On January 5, 2026, Saurabh said he would be retiring from the India Today Group Digital after 12 years. He helped build The Lallantop from the ground up into one of India’s most important Hindi digital platforms during that time. The news was like a shock and a long, unavoidable goodbye.
In his words, he thanked the site that gave him a name, taught him lessons, and gave him courage. He also mentioned at something very human behind the professional headline.He talked about how he needed to look inside himself, take a break, and start new journeys after a coma. It wasn’t over the top or dramatic; it was honest, thoughtful, and beautiful in its simplicity.
He is taking a break to breathe, think, and figure out what to do next. That’s not something you see very often in the fast-paced world of media and ambition. The torch is being passed.
Kuldeep Mishra, one of the original members of The Lallantop team, and Rajat Sain will be in charge of production and the editorial team. Both have been with The Lallantop since the start, helping to shape its story and creative flow.
Fans know Kuldeep from flagship shows and deep discussions. He is now the head of the editorial team. For a lot of long-time fans, this feels like both a continuation and a test of strength for a brand that became a friend to many. Rajat’s leadership of production shows that the platform’s heart is still beating, even though its voice is changing.
What This Moment Means
This isn’t just a story in the news. It’s a peaceful story about people getting better, being grateful, and having the courage to start over. Saurabh could have stayed in a role he had set for himself, but he chose to do something harder: to stop, think, and jump again. In a world of media that often values noise over nuance, that feels like a strong message.
There was never just one place to go to the Lallantop. It was a shared space, and the fact that we feel its changes so deeply shows how well it connected with its audience. The voice may change, but the mark stays the same.
Here’s to the next chapter for Saurabh, The Lallantop, and the road ahead.
