Charu Sharma is an Indian sports commentator, commentator and quizmaster. Until 2022, he was appointed as the director of the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League. In February 2022, he temporarily replaced Hugh Edmeades (British bowler) as the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auctioneer (for one and a half days) after Hugh passed out on stage due to postural hypotension.
Wiki/Biography
Charu Sharma was born in Uttar Pradesh. When he was a few months old, he moved to Rajasthan with his family. He attended Mayo College, Ajmer, Rajasthan. After completing her schooling, Charu enrolled herself in St. Stephen, Delhi, to further his studies. After that, he went to Davidson College, North Carolina, US, for a one-year scholarship program. Charu was offered her first job at Davidson College, however, she was not very interested in academics and declined the job offer. Charu was good at sports in his school and college days. He excelled in rifle shooting and diving while at school. He is a trained swimmer. During an interview, talking about his early inclination towards sports, Charu said,
But diving was my forte and I became national junior champion at 11 and retired at 17.
In 1982, he represented India in swimming at the Asian Games. Sharma was a springboard diver in an international meet at the Asian Games.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 7″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Charu Sharma is the son of NC Sharma, who is an educationist. NC Sharma is the former Vice Principal of Mayo College in Ajmer, Rajasthan. He was also the Principal of Birla Vidyamandir in Uttarakhand. Not much is known about his mother. He has a younger sister.
Wife
Charu Sharma is married to Anuja Sharma. Anuja is the sister of Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of Mahindra and Mahindra. Before their marriage, Anuja worked with a magazine, but she gave up her career after marrying Charu.
Career
After attending a scholarship program from Davidson College, North Carolina, Charu returned to India. In India, he started working in a tea company based in Delhi. He worked there for several years and then moved to Hyderabad, where he started working with a cigarette company. He found his calling with his commentary after his participation in the 1982 Asian Games. At first, he found it very busy, moving from one place to another, but after a while became a professional in it. After that, he hosted many sports events, and in 1993, he joined ESPN as the main anchor. His contract with ESPN ended in 2001. In an interview, talking about his tenure with ESPN, Charu Sharma said,
I work with them for 120 days a year and the rest I am free to pursue my family. I anchor a lot of sports for them and get paid handsomely for my efforts.”
When asked why he decided to quit ESPN, he said,
I wish I had a reasonable answer as to why they decided to terminate my contract. I don’t think I have a chemistry problem with anyone. But there’s a new guy who joins the organization and things don’t work out.
He has around 20 years of experience in sports broadcasting with Indian television channels such as Sony, MAX, ESPN, Star Sports and Doordarshan.
Charu Sharma during a sports tournament
He is very popular with his television show on cricket with Mandira Bedi.
Charu Sharma with Mandira Bedi during a cricket performance television show
Charu was the CEO of the T20 cricket team ‘Royal Challengers Bangalore’ for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2008. However, he was asked to resign following the team’s poor performance in the game. Royal Challengers officials said that Charu resigned on his own, while, Sharma claimed that he was fired by United Breweries Limited on behalf of team owner Vijay Mallya.
Charu Sharma as a sports commentator
Charu Sharma, along with Anand Mahindra, co-founded one of India’s leading sports tournaments Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 through their company Marshal Sports. The league is played in eight cities in a caravan format, traveling to all eight venues to play 60 matches. Sharma is also the director of Marshal Sports. Later, Star India acquired 74% stake in Mashal Sports.
Charu Sharma during the Vivi Pro Kabbadi League 2022 press conference
Apart from being a sports presenter, he is also a quiz teacher and has hosted several TV shows and events. He mostly organizes award shows, corporate events and seminars. In 2018, he was invited to Bahrain to promote cricket there. He hosted the Coca-Cola Bahrain Premier League Quiz final.
Charu Sharma hosts Bahrain Premier League Quiz 2018
In 2022, he temporarily replaced Hugh Edmeades as the auctioneer at the 2022 Indian Premier League auction. The replacement came about when Hugh, the original auctioneer, collapsed due to postural hypotension. He conducted the auction after lunch on the first day and continued the auction until the last session on the second day. After that, Edmeades continued the auction.
Charu Sharma during the IPL 2022 auction
Controversy
- In 2008, Charu was sacked from his position as the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Challengers Bangalore Twenty20 cricket team for the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Charu blamed Vijay Mallya and United Breweries Limited for the layoff, team officials claimed that Sharma himself gave his resignation. During an interview, when asked about the controversy, he said,
I think I worked hard for it, maybe the hardest ever. Some matches have been lost before and heads have also been lost. I like to believe that I am in the steam line of a pressure cooker waiting to be unleashed.”
- In 2022, during the Indian Premier League auction, he made a huge mistake by gifting Khaleel Ahmed (cricketer) to Delhi Capitals, despite the highest bid being made by Mumbai Indians. Reportedly, during the auction, Mumbai Indians bid for the player at Rs. 5.25 crore onwards, Delhi Capitals raised the bid to Rs. 5.5 crores. However, the team immediately backed out of the bid. This caused confusion for Charu who sold Khaleel to Delhi Capitals for Rs. 5.25 crores.
Facts/Trivia
- He likes to travel in his spare time. Charu also likes to play Golf whenever he has free time.
- Charu meets his life partner, Anuja, for the first time in Mumbai.
- As of 2022, Charu resides in Bengaluru, Karnataka. During an interview, when asked about his decision to finally settle in Bengaluru, Charu said,
My wife was instrumental in us moving here. His family runs a small farm in Coorg and we decided to move to Bangalore, so that he could be close enough to keep an eye on things.
- Charu has delivered many guest lectures on sports commentary at various educational institutions. In November 2014, he delivered a lecture at MICA (formerly known as Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad). During his session, he spoke about the insights he gained from the vast array of international and national events he has commented and presented, for various major television channels.
Charu Sharma delivered a guest lecture at MICA in November 2014
- Charu qualified for the 1978 Commonwealth Games before becoming a sports broadcaster. During an interview, while talking about the same, he said,
I was the junior champion for seven years from the age of 11. I can safely say that then I was among the three best springboard divers in the country, the first two being from the military and supported. I had qualified for the 1978 Commonwealth Games but had to give up because I had to go at my own expense. I was successful in skydiving and quit at 19! Not much to do there. I am also a first division cricketer in Kolkata. The broadcasting career started and it started when the country liberalized and more networks started appearing in the 90s.
- During the interview, Charu revealed that it was not only the unfortunate fall of auctioneer Hugh Edmeades that gave him the opportunity to conduct the IPL 2022 auction, but also the injury he suffered in Kathmandu (Nepal) that brought the opportunity. He said,
I had fallen in Kathmandu where I had gone for an auction for a cricket league and damaged my shoulder. There was a little rain and I fell where I lived. I have been at home now for weeks, finishing my physiotherapy; if it wasn’t for that fall, I would be on the golf course playing – it’s my passion these days and I spend hours on the golf course – and wouldn’t have access to my phone. And Brijesh Patel couldn’t reach me.”
He further revealed that he was having lunch when he got a call from Brijesh Patel, chairman of the IPL governing council, asking him to come to the venue to conduct the auction. Patel said,
Just wear a suit and come to ITC Gardenia. Let’s do this.”
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
