Born and raised in India, she is a graduate of Sophia College in Mumbai, and earned a Masters Degree in economics from Bombay University. Debarati volunteered with India’s National Social Service, where she taught at an orphanage. She has also worked with and counseled patients at drug treatment facilities. Debarati started in journalism as a freelance reporter in India covering the film industry. She was employed by various publications before joining Bloomberg in 2004. She has worked with Kallol Women’s Forum, a non-profit focused on raising money for under-privileged children in India.