Uma Pemmaraju is an American television news anchor and journalist of Indian origin who is best known for her work at the Fox Network’s Fox News Channel where she has been serving for more than 2 decades. Pemmaraju was part of the original team of Fox News Channel’s hosts and reporters when the channel was launched in October 1996 and continues to remain one of the most recognized faces at the network. She currently serves as the host of the news program ‘America’s News Headquarters w/Uma Pemmaraju’ on the Fox News Channel in New York.
Pemmaraju began her career as a news producer and reporter and served at several local broadcasting networks in her home state of Texas. She started gaining recognition after moving to FNC in Boston and soon went on to win several awards and felicitations which include several Emmy Awards, The Texas Associated Press Award in reporting, Women of Achievement Award etc. She was also dubbed ‘Boston’s Best Anchor’ by Boston Magazine in the years 1996 and 1997.
Early Life and Education
Pemmaraju was born on 31 March 1958 in the East Godavari district of Rajahmundry in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India as the daughter of South Indian parents who immigrated to the United States and settled in the city of San Antonio, Texas when she was very young. Pemmaraju was raised as a Hindu. She drew her inspiration for journalism from her paternal grandfather who was also in the newspaper publishing business.
Pemmaraju completed her primary, secondary and high school education from public schools in San Antonio and later attended Trinity University, also in Saint Antonio, Texas from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of political science and served as an editor on the university’s newspaper.
Career Rise
Pemmaraju began her career in journalism when she was hired by the CBS affiliate network KENS-TV in her home city of San Antonio where she served in the capacity of a producer and reporter and was later employed in the same position when she joined the San Antonio Express-News publication house. Pemmaraju left her home city for the first time when she found an opportunity to serve as a news correspondent and anchor at the CBS affiliate KTVT-11 in Dallas, Texas after which she moved to the ABC affiliate WMAR-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. where she received her first Emmy Award.Pemmaraju then served as a news correspondent at the CW affiliate WLVI and the CBS affiliate WBZ-TV, both in Boston and even worked as a producer of the WBZ Evening Magazine.
Pemmaraju started gaining nationwide attention when she joined the Fox News Channel as part of its original team in October 1996 where she served in the capacity of a news host on several shows as well as FNC specials. She interviewed several high-profile personalities such as the Dalai Lama, Buzz Aldrin, Whoopi Goldberg, Joel Osteen, Sarah Palin and several leaders and soon became known as “Boston’s Best anchor”, a term coined by Boston Magazine. She went on to win several Emmy Awards in investigative journalism and news reporting. Pemmaraju currently serves as the host of ‘America’s News Headquarters w/Uma Pemmaraju’ on FNC, New York.
Husband
Pemmaraju dated millionaire businessman Andrew Petkun for a few years and eventually married him in a lavish religious and multi-cultural ceremony in Salem, Oregon in September 1993. The couple are parents to two children, a biological daughter named Kirina Alana Devi. They also have one adopted child. Pemmaraju and Petkun divorced after a few years of marriage.
Pemmaraju is very connected to her Indian roots and visits her native city and country often. She was raised as a vegetarian and continues to practice vegetarianism.
Uma Pemmaraju – Net Worth
Pemmaraju has an estimated net worth of approximately $4 Million.