Who Is Daniel Pearl? Age, Biography and Wiki
Daniel Pearl was born on October 10, 1963, in Princeton, New Jersey, making him 62 years old in 2025. He was a prominent American journalist known for his work as a South Asia Bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal. Tragically, Pearl was kidnapped and beheaded by militants in Pakistan in February 2002 while researching a story on the country’s relationship with terrorism. His legacy continues to impact journalism and the fight for freedom of the press.
| Occupation | Wall Street |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 10, 1963 |
| Age | 38 Years |
| Birth Place | Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Date of death | 1 February, 2002 |
| Died Place | Karachi, Pakistan |
Popularity
Daniel Pearl's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Daniel Pearl stood at about 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall and weighed approximately 160 lbs (73 kg). He had a slim build, typical for someone who was often on the move, covering stories across diverse terrains as a journalist.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
In terms of family, Daniel Pearl was married to Mariane Pearl, a French journalist. The couple had one son together, Adam Daniel Pearl, born just weeks after Daniel's kidnapping. Daniel’s family has continued to honor his memory, advocating for press freedom and justice for journalists worldwide. Mariane Pearl has also become known for her own work, authoring books and giving lectures regarding human rights and the challenges faced in journalism.
His father is an Israeli-American of Polish Jewish descent, and his mother was an Iraqi Jew whose family was saved from the Farhud by Muslim neighbors.
His family moved to Encino, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, when his father took a position with the University of California, Los Angeles as professor of computer science and statistics and later director of the Cognitive Systems Laboratory. In 2011, Judea Pearl received the Turing Award, the 'Nobel Prize for Computer Science'.
The history of the family and its connections to Israel are described by Judea Pearl in the Los Angeles Times article, "Roots in the Holy Land".
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death in 2002, Daniel Pearl's net worth was estimated to be around $1 million, accumulated through his work in journalism over the years. Given that he was a respected journalist with significant contributions to major publications, his earning potential was substantial, although exact figures from his salary are not publicly disclosed.
Career, Business and Investments
Daniel Pearl's career began in the 1990s when he reported from various countries around the world, including India and Pakistan. He joined the Wall Street Journal in 1990 and quickly gained a reputation for his insightful reporting on complex issues. His investigative work often focused on economic and social challenges, significantly shedding light on critical global issues. Unfortunately, Pearl’s career was abruptly ended by his kidnapping and murder, but he remains a symbol of the risks faced by journalists dedicated to uncovering the truth.
Pearl attended Portola Junior High School and Birmingham High School.
He then attended Stanford University from 1981 to 1985, where he was a Communication major with Phi Beta Kappa honors, a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, a co-founder of a student newspaper called the Stanford Commentator, as well as a reporter for the campus radio station KZSU. Pearl graduated from Stanford with a B.A.
in Communication, after which he spent a summer as a Pulliam Fellow intern at The Indianapolis Star.
Social Network
Daniel Pearl’s legacy continues to resonate today, especially on various social networks dedicated to journalists and human rights. Organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI) often reference his story to highlight the challenges faced by journalists in war-torn regions. His family also maintains a presence on social media to advocate for freedom of the press and raise awareness about journalism's role in society.
In 1990, Pearl moved to the Atlanta bureau of The Wall Street Journal and moved again in 1993 to its Washington, D.C., bureau to cover telecommunications. In 1996, he was assigned to the London bureau and in 1999 to Paris.
His articles covered a range of topics, such as the October 1994 story of a Stradivarius violin allegedly found on a highway on-ramp and a June 2000 story about Iranian pop music.
Education
Daniel Pearl attended Stanford University, where he graduated with a degree in anthropology in 1985. His education in anthropology contributed to his effective storytelling and understanding of the cultures and societies he reported on. Pearl’s academic background helped him approach journalism with depth and sensitivity towards the subjects he covered.
According to an investigative report published in January 2011 by Georgetown University, the Federal Bureau of Investigation used vein matching to determine that the perpetrator in the video of the killing of Pearl was most likely Mohammed, identifying him through a "bulging vein" running across his hand that was visible in the video.
Federal officials had been concerned that Mohammed's confession obtained through waterboarding would not hold up in court. They intended to use this forensic evidence to bolster their case that he had murdered Pearl.
