Shashi Tharoor’s son laid off from 'The Washington Post' after 12-year stint, Congress MP reacts

Born in Singapore in 1984, while his father Shashi Tharoor was serving as a diplomat, Ishaan Tharoor grew up across multiple countries and has often drawn on that global exposure in his work. (Image credit: AFP, X)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's son, Ishaan Tharoor, who was a global affairs columnist at The Washington Post, has been laid off from the newspaper as part of sweeping job cuts that hit its international staff on Wednesday.

Announcing the news in a post on X, the journalist said he had been let go along with “most of the international staff” and several long‑time colleagues. “I’m heartbroken for our newsroom and especially for the peerless journalists who served the Post internationally — editors and correspondents who have been my friends and collaborators for almost 12 years,” he wrote.

“It’s been an honour to work with them,” Tharoor added.

His father responded to the development by resharing one of his posts on X, which was captioned, "A bad day."

A bad day pic.twitter.com/cIX8rIjJPu

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— Ishaan Tharoor (@ishaantharoor) February 4, 2026

WorldView column and a global readership

Ishaan Tharoor joined The Washington Post in 2014, after an eight‑year stint at Time magazine, and went on to become one of the paper’s most recognisable voices on global affairs.

In January 2017, he launched WorldView, a regular column aimed at helping readers better understand international developments and America’s place in the world. The column went on to build a substantial following, with Tharoor noting that it attracted around half a million loyal subscribers over the years.

“I’m grateful for the half a million loyal subscribers who tuned into the column several times a week,” he wrote, calling the experience a privilege.

Outpouring of support from readers and journalists

Tharoor’s post drew an outpouring of support on X from readers and fellow journalists. Several described WorldView as a “must read”, while others said the layoffs were a loss not just for the newsroom but for public understanding of global affairs.

One journalist, who said he had been laid off multiple times over his career, wrote that he felt deeply for Tharoor and his colleagues, adding that he hoped Tharoor would continue writing in some capacity.

"I’m very sorry, Ishaan. I truly enjoyed and learned a lot from your column- a must-read, always. This is a loss for all of us," wrote an X user. "I look forward to your next project and will certainly continue to follow your work."

Some users expressed surprise that a journalist of Tharoor’s stature — and background — had been affected by the cuts.

"As a journo who was laid off four times in his working life, I feel deeply for you and other WaPo staffers losing their jobs. I loved your newsletter. Hopefully, you’ll be able to keep writing in some capacity," added another user, while a third commented, "I'm surprised that Ishaan Tharoor, son of

Shashi Tharoor, is facing this."

A career shaped by global affairs

Born in Singapore in 1984, while his father Shashi Tharoor was serving as a diplomat, Ishaan Tharoor grew up across multiple countries and has often drawn on that global exposure in his work.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, where he studied history, ethnicity, race, and migration, and was awarded the Sudler fellowship. He began his journalism career at Time magazine in 2006, eventually rising to senior editorial roles before moving to The Washington Post.

Beyond journalism, Tharoor has also taught at Georgetown University, where he served as an adjunct instructor between 2018 and 2020, teaching a course titled Global Affairs in the Digital Age at the School of Foreign Service.

The Washington Post New Delhi bureau chief also laid off

The Washington Post on Wednesday fired a third of its staff across all departments, including its New Delhi bureau chief Pranshu Verma. In a post on X, Verma wrote that he, too, was heartbroken. "Heartbroken to share I've been laid off from The Washington Post. Gutted for so many of my talented friends who are also gone. It was a privilege to work here the past four years. Serving as the paper's New Delhi bureau chief was an honour," Verma shared.

Layoff announced over Zoom meeting

Executive editor Matt Murray and human resources chief Wayne Connell reportedly sent an email to staffers Wednesday morning instructing them to “stay home today” but attend an 8.30 am meeting via Zoom during which the publication's leadership would announce “significant actions across the company.”

Those actions include shutting down a majority of the Post’s international coverage, almost the entire Sports section, closing the Books section and cancelling the daily Post Reports podcast, sources at the newspaper said.