National Public Radio has appointed producer Madhulika Sikka as its executive editor. Sikka, who has been executive producer of the popular "Morning Edition" program for the past six years, takes over the new post in January, an Oct. 9 release on the NPR website said.

As executive editor, Sikka will "oversee all desks and help set the news agenda for the entire division," Margaret Low Smith, NPR's senior vice president for news, is quoted as saying in the release. She praised Sikka for bringing “real vision” to "Morning Edition," and making it a “more interesting and relevant” program. The morning segment, one of NPR’s most popular programs, is aired from about 700 public radio stations around the country.

A graduate from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies with an M.Phil. in economics and politics of development from Cambridge University, Sikka is credited with making "Morning Edition" more international, including the series titled “The Grand Trunk Road,” where correspondents traveled through India and Pakistan to examine issues facing youth in the subcontinent. During her tenure, "Morning Edition" hosts reported from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and, most recently, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

Sikka worked with ABC News from 1992 until she left for NPR in 2006. She started as a researcher at ABC, and rose to senior producer for the daily news broadcast "Nightline," responsible for all aspects, including editorial decisions and production.

While at ABC, she won four Emmys, two Peabody Awards and three awards from the South Asian Journalists Association, among others. She is the author of the forthcoming book, "A Breast Cancer Alphabet."

Sikka joined NPR as supervising senior producer of "Morning Edition" and was promoted to deputy executive producer in 2008 and executive producer in 2009.