Fareed Zakaria, Journalist, Author, and Political Commentator
Journalist, Author, and Political Commentator

Fareed Zakaria

Born 20 January 1964 · Maharashtra

Hosting CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, a globally recognized international affairs program.

Fareed Rafiq Zakaria is an Indian-born American journalist, political commentator, and author. He is the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS and writes a weekly paid column for The Washington Post. He has been a columnist for Newsweek, editor of Newsweek International, and an editor at large of Time.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Fareed Zakaria once wrote wine columns under the pseudonym George Saintsbury for Slate, blending literary history with oenology.

The Story

1
In 1992, at just 28 years old, Fareed Zakaria became managing editor of Foreign Affairs, shifting the magazine’s frequency from quarterly to bimonthly and shaping foreign policy discourse.
2
🌍 Born in Mumbai in 1964 to Rafiq Zakaria, a Congress politician and Islamic scholar, Fareed’s upbringing in a Konkani family immersed him early in India’s political and cultural complexities.
3At Yale University, where he graduated in 1986, Fareed led the Yale Political Union and fought against divestment from Apartheid South Africa, signaling his early engagement with global justice issues.
4📰 From 2000 to 2010, Zakaria edited Newsweek International, during which his October 2001 cover story "Why They Hate Us" earned the National Magazine Award and sparked intense debate post-9/11.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
🏅 Peabody Award

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 2001, Zakaria’s Newsweek cover story "Why They Hate Us" won the National Magazine Award and became one of the most decorated journalistic pieces addressing post-9/11 sentiments.

🖼️

Through the Years

5 photographs from the archives
Fareed Zakaria at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos (2006).
Fareed Zakaria at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos (2006).
2006
Fareed Zakaria interviews Dmitry Medvedev for CNN (2009).
Fareed Zakaria interviews Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen in New York City (2010).
Fareed Zakaria conducts a CNN interview with Dmitry Medvedev (2013).
Fareed Zakaria at the keynote event of the Morristown Festival of Books in New Jersey (2024).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Birth in Mumbai, Maharashtra
Fareed Zakaria was born into a Konkani Muslim family, son of politician Rafiq Zakaria and Fatima Zakaria, an editor.
1964
📚
Education
Graduated from Yale University
Zakaria earned his BA, led the Yale Political Union, and opposed divestment from Apartheid South Africa.
1986
⚡
Career
Managing Editor of Foreign Affairs
At age 28, Zakaria became managing editor, changing the magazine’s publication frequency and influence.
1992
⚡
Career
Editor of Newsweek International
Zakaria took over Newsweek International, also becoming a weekly columnist for Newsweek.
2000
📖
Publication
"Why They Hate Us" cover story
Zakaria’s Newsweek cover story post-9/11 won the National Magazine Award.
2001
⚡
Career
Launch of Fareed Zakaria GPS
Zakaria began hosting his CNN weekly program interviewing global leaders and influencers.
2008
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
India honored Zakaria with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to literature and education.
2010
🏅
Award
Peabody Award for GPS
Fareed Zakaria GPS won the Peabody Award recognizing excellence in broadcast journalism.
2011
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 06
🔍LESSER KNOWN

At Yale, Zakaria was president of the Yale Political Union and actively opposed divestment from Apartheid South Africa during the 1980s, a controversial stance at the time.

02 / 06
👤PERSONAL

Zakaria’s mother, Fatima Zakaria, edited the Sunday Times of India and died during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, marking a personal loss during a global crisis.

03 / 06
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 2010, India awarded Zakaria the Padma Bhushan, one of the country’s highest civilian honors, despite his American citizenship and global career.

“

"The Post-American world is not the end of America’s influence, but the rise of others alongside it."

— Fareed Zakaria

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Fareed Zakaria on How America is Doing at 250 Years Old | A Charlie Rose Global Conversation
More from this archive
Fareed Zakaria on How America is Doing at 250 Years Old | A Charlie Rose Global Conversation
01
Fareed Zakaria on How America is Doing at 250 Years Old | A Charlie Rose Global Conversation
Fareed Zakaria on ThePrint Off The Cuff with Shekhar Gupta
02
Fareed Zakaria on ThePrint Off The Cuff with Shekhar Gupta
Fareed Zakaria @ QSP SUMMIT 2022
03
Fareed Zakaria @ QSP SUMMIT 2022
The Devastating Effects of Fake News | fake news
04
The Devastating Effects of Fake News | fake news

🌱 What changed because of them

Fareed Zakaria transformed public understanding of global power dynamics by popularizing complex international relations through accessible media like CNN’s GPS and bestselling books. His editorial leadership at Foreign Affairs and Newsweek International influenced policymakers and intellectuals worldwide, while his writings on 'illiberal democracy' and the 'post-American world' shaped debates on democracy and geopolitical shifts in the 21st century. His role bridged Indian intellectual traditions with American media, fostering cross-cultural dialogue on global affairs.

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