The government on Wednesday, May 6, appointed Shashi Shekhar Vempati as the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). According to a statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, he will hold the office for a period of three years from the date of entry.
Vempati will replace Prasoon Joshi, who was recently appointed chairman of Prasar Bharati.
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In a statement on May 6, the ministry said, “The Government of India vide notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting dated May 6, 2026 has appointed Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati as the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). He will hold the post for a period of three years from the date of joining.”
“Consequent to the elevation of Shri Prasoon Joshi as Chairman, Prasar Bharati, he has stepped down as Chairman, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), leading to the present appointment,” the statement added.
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Who is Shashi Shekhar Vempati?
Career of Shashi Shekhar Vempati: Shashi Shekhar Vempati is the former CEO of Prasar Bharati.
Vempati is the co-founder of AI4India Org, which works to democratize access to artificial intelligence technology.
He is also a board member at BharatGen, according to his LinkedIn profile. Vempati has held the position of CEO at Rajya Sabha TV and Niti Digital.
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In 2023, he was the chairman of the Apex Advisory Committee for Science and Technology, according to his LinkedIn profile.
As his profile on the International Institute of Communications website states, “As co-founder of the DeepTech for Bharat Foundation, Shashi supports India’s AI ecosystem through the ‘AI4India’ initiative.
“He holds several pivotal roles, including as Chairman of the Science and Technology Communication Committee of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and Chairman of the UGC Expert Committee on Educational Media,” the profile read.
He added that Shashi Shekhar Vempati “contributes management expertise to various boards including the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Jamia’s AJK Mass Communication & Media Research Centre.
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“He is also a member of the Global Advisory Council of ATSC, the International Broadcast Standards Organisation. As CEO of Prasar Bharati, Shashi oversaw sweeping reforms in India’s public broadcaster, spearheaded the modernization of Doordarshan and All India Radio, while heading Rajya Sabha TV,” the profile added.
Vempati is also the author of “Concrete Action of the Collective Spirit – Mann ki Baat and its impact on India”.
Education of Shashi Shekhar Vempati: He is an alumnus of IIT Bombay where he completed his BTech in Chemical Engineering.
“Shashi Shekhar Vempati brings with him extensive experience in media, broadcasting and public communication. His appointment is expected to further strengthen the functioning of the CBFC,” the government said in a statement on Wednesday.
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About CBFC
The CBFC is a statutory body of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting which regulates the public screening of films under the provisions of the Cinematography Act, 1952.
Films can be shown publicly in India only after they have been certified by the CBFC.
The board consists of non-official members and a chairman – all appointed by the central government – and operates from its headquarters in Mumbai.
It has nine regional offices, one each in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Cuttack and Guwahati.
Regional offices are assisted by advisory committees in evaluating films. The members of the panels are nominated by the central government by drawing lots of people from different walks of life for a period of 2 years.
The certification process is in accordance with the Cinematography Act, 1952, Cinematography (Certification) Rules, 1983 and the guidelines issued by the Central Government u/s 5 (B).
