‘Small Acts of Courage’ Pays Off: Ali Velshi Named Anchor of ‘The 11th Hour’ in MS NOW’s Programming Overhaul

Ali Velshi, the veteran journalist whose family’s journey spans four continents and whose grandfather rode on Mahatma Gandhi’s shoulders, has been named the new anchor of “The 11th Hour” on MS NOW, marking the latest milestone in a distinguished broadcasting career built on his multicultural perspective and deep commitment to journalism.

Ali Velshi, who has long hosted weekend hours, will move to “The 11th Hour,” the network’s last original show of the programming day. The current anchor, Stephanie Ruhle, will take up a two-hour mid-morning program that starts at 9 a.m. 

According to Deadline, Velshi will continue to serve as chief data reporter, a key role on election nights, as he takes on the duties as The 11th Hour host. He’s been with the network since 2016, and has been anchoring his weekend program Velshi. 

The changes will go into effect in June 2026, according to MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler’s memo to staffers.

Remarkable Family Background

Ali Velshi’s family history reads like an epic journey through the 20th century. Born in Kenya and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he is the son of Murad Velshi, an Indian business owner in Africa and then in Canada, and the first Indian-Canadian elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He is an Ismaili Muslim of Gujarati Indian descent. 

The Gandhi Connection: Velshi’s grandfather had an extraordinary connection to history. According to NPR’s Fresh Air, Velshi’s grandfather, for example, could be found as a little boy riding on the shoulders of Mahatma Gandhi, part of a relationship that would have a lasting impact on the generations to follow. 

According to The Bulwark, his paternal great-grandfather, Velshi Keshavjee, whose first name was adopted as his family’s surname, moved from India to South Africa in 1901, a journey that included a swim through shark-infested waters. His son Rajabali, Ali’s grandfather, was, as a young child in Johannesburg, literally carried about on the shoulders of Mahatma Gandhi, who spent more than two decades in South Africa. Rajabali became a student at Tolstoy Farm, an ashram that Gandhi founded. 

Velshi has chronicled his family’s remarkable journey in his memoir “Small Acts of Courage.”

Velshi’s parents operated a bakery in South Africa, but moved to Kenya in 1960, when Apartheid became oppressive. In Toronto, Velshi’s parents operate a chain of travel agencies. 

According to The Bulwark, Rajabali held progressive views. He made sure that his daughters were educated and, as chair of his jamatkhana’s education board, urged others to do the same. 

The Bulwark quoted from Velshi’s book: “We kept the traditions that were important to us, Indian food and Indian movies with my grandmother and religious instruction at the jamatkhana, but outside of those things, my parents believed that good things come from exposing yourself to lots of different ideas.” 

The September 11 Moment

Velshi’s entry to American broadcasting came at a pivotal moment. According to The Bulwark, he was hired for a job in New York City at CNN’s business reporting arm, CNNfn. He lined up an apartment in New York City and, after a paperwork delay, was all set to get on a plane to start his new role. There was only one problem: It was September 11, 2001. 

According to The Bulwark, as he produced his passport and a copy of his visa, it dawned on Velshi that, here he was, a brown Muslim man who had recently been in training to get a pilot’s license, seeking entry to the United States “less than forty-eight hours after the worst terrorist attack on American soil, an attack perpetrated by a bunch of brown Muslim guys with box cutters who’d pulled off the crime of the century by training to get their pilot’s licenses.” 

But The Bulwark reported Velshi recounted: “There was no suspicion, no feeling of conflict or asking me a bunch of questions.” 

Velshi has chronicled his family’s remarkable journey in his memoir “Small Acts of Courage.” 

With the transition to “The 11th Hour,” Velshi brings not only his deep experience in journalism but also a unique multicultural perspective shaped by his family’s century-long journey across continents. As The Bulwark concluded about Velshi’s life story: Welcome to the life of Ali Velshi. As the avuncular MSNBC host would be the first to admit, it is a life of privilege and good fortune.