News Headline

Uday Shankar’s take on social responsibility

Published

13 years ago

August 16, 2013

MUMBAI: This Independence Day saw the who’s who of the film and television fraternity come together in a unique initiative by Star India to support the victims of the Uttarakhand tragedy.

Christened Saath Hain Hum Uttarakhand, the seven-hour-long event held at the NSCI grounds in Mumbai was telecast live across the entire Star India network.

In an exclusive interaction with indiantelevision.com, Star India CEO Uday Shankar spoke at length about the conviction behind this noble cause and Star India’s philosophy.

“When such a tragedy occurs, there is a need to do something different. At Star, we have a very deep emotional connect with the audiences at large,” expresses Shankar. “Whether it is through our programming or by connecting with the film and television industry for this cause, we feel it is our duty to help people who are in pain there.”

Star’s Uday Shankar says the network is not only number one in terms of content but it also has a very strong social conscience

Shankar points out that the initiative helped reinforce another point that Star is not only number one in terms of content but it also has a very strong social conscience. “The endeavour was also born out of his sense of responsibility toward the large number of people that have made all the channels of the Star network successful,” he highlights. “People’s belief brings with it a huge responsibility, which we are continually aware of, and try and live up to. Doing this for the rebuilding of Uttarakhand is yet another acknowledgement of our responsibility.”

So why I-Day? According to Shankar, Star India had wanted to do something big at the time the tragedy occurred but the logistics were daunting. That’s when he and his team started taking the creative community into confidence.

“Obviously, an event on such a big scale takes time, as you have all the top stars from the industry and you need some time to bring all of them together. So, 15 August was very appropriate because both its symbolic and philosophical values were in sync with our objective,” explains Shankar.

What was the idea of airing the event live? “Live has an element of intensity, immediacy and urgency. We wanted to share with the people how the creative community, comprising media, television and film has responded spontaneously to the disaster. We wanted to capture that intensity,” gushes Shankar.

Are he and his team happy with the response the event garnered? “I was overwhelmed by the positive response from all the top stars and everybody from the film and television industry. Bringing together so many people is a challenge, but everybody was more than willing the moment we said it is for Uttarakhand victims. While some of them could not make it because of their own commitments, it was very satisfying to see them all so willing to lend their support to the cause,” exults Shankar.

Star India has decided to encourage viewers from across the globe to donate generously toward the victims of the tragedy

Have the network’s expectations been fulfilled, at least to some extent? According to Shankar, the immediate and material consideration was “to raise as much contribution as we can so we can play a more effective role in rebuilding Uttarakhand.”

In fact, as a natural next step, Star India has decided to encourage viewers from across the globe to donate generously toward the victims of the tragedy.

Donation lines will be open from 15 August to 7 September and the funds collected will be channeled to the People’s Science Institute (PSI) and Himmotthan society NGOs partners. How the funds are used will be overseen by a team of independent auditors.

A large part of undertaking the initiative was about replying to the perennial question faced by the media as to whether it is living up to its social responsibilities or not.

“Whether it is the political class or the rest of the country, this question is being put to journalists, people in the field of entertainment, TV, print, all of us, every day. To which we wanted to say, ‘Look, we are more alive! Doesn’t matter whether we are news or entertainment, we are there when society needs us’,” said Shankar.

Before concluding the interview, Shankar bared his heart on what the country should do in such situations.

“Within the creative community, there is a strong desire to be socially more relevant, more meaningful and contribute more effectively. Everybody – whether they are actors, directors, producers, technicians and many more – has that kind of desire. What we require is the leadership, and I think that is why we all came together so we could provide that leadership to channelise that urge and those emotions. If we can do that, I think the country can do a lot more.”

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Awards

Hamdard honours changemakers at Abdul Hameed awards

Published

7 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.

The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.

Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.

The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.

Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.

Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.

Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.

Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.

The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.

Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.

MAM

Why the best campaigns today start with insights, not ideas

Published

7 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: For decades, creative storytelling has been the cornerstone of brand communication. The “big idea” amplified through catchy jingles, striking visuals, and memorable hooks was once the gold standard for relevance and recall. Creativity defined presence, and the loudest, boldest campaigns often won attention.

But the marketing landscape today looks very different.

Audiences are more exposed, more discerning, and far less patient. They are inundated with messages across platforms, formats, and creators, often encountering hundreds of brand touchpoints in a single day. In this environment, creativity alone especially when untethered from real consumer truths is no longer enough to move behaviour. Great ideas are abundant. Meaningful impact is not.

This is where insights matter.

The difference may seem subtle, but it is fundamental. An idea represents what a brand wants to say. An insight reflects what the audience is already thinking, feeling, or experiencing. The most effective campaigns emerge not from cleverness alone, but from the intersection of these two forces.

From creativity to relevance

As the marketing ecosystem becomes increasingly saturated, consumers are growing immune to inflated claims and surface-level storytelling. Even beautifully crafted campaigns can fail if they are disconnected from lived realities. The gap between a brand’s internal enthusiasm and the audience’s actual sentiment can be the difference between attention and indifference.

Insights help bridge this gap. They force brands to pause, listen, and observe to understand emotions, behaviours, cultural contexts, and contradictions. Instead of trying to be remembered through louder branding, insight-led campaigns allow audiences to see their own experiences reflected back at them. When a campaign articulates a problem that feels personal, relevance is created. Trust follows.

Insight is interpretation, not information

It’s important to distinguish between data and insight. Data tells us what is happening. Insight explains why it is happening. While data is measurable and structured, insights are interpretive and dynamic, shaped by real-time sentiment and human behaviour.

Modern consumers are full of contradictions. They demand authenticity while remaining deeply aspirational. They want brands to take a stand but expect nuance, not instruction. They seek transparency, yet are drawn to curated narratives. These tensions are not obstacles, they are opportunities. When understood correctly, they can shape communication that feels timely, credible, and human.

Some of the most effective campaigns today are born not in isolated brainstorm rooms, but through listening to audiences, creators, editors, online communities, and cultural signals. Insights often exist in blurred patterns, but once identified, they can redefine how a brand connects.

A recent campaign we executed for Domino’s illustrates this shift clearly. The brief wasn’t to make a pizza look bigger or louder. Instead, it was rooted in a simple behavioural truth: in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, sharing food is an emotional act tied to family, celebration, and value perception. The “Big Big 6-in-1 Pizza” became a canvas for this insight. The campaign leaned into regional voices and real sharing moments, allowing people to show how they experienced the product rather than being told why they should buy it. Influencers and celebrities amplified genuine usage, not scripted endorsements. The impact from engagement to footfall to sales came not from a clever idea, but from understanding how people relate to food in their everyday lives.

Shifting the starting point

Today’s consumer landscape demands a shift in perspective from “What should the brand say?” to “What does the audience need to hear right now?” This marks a move away from inward-led marketing toward communication shaped by behaviour, emotion, and cultural relevance.

Brands leading today are keen observers. They notice when perfection stops resonating. They sense when luxury shifts from aspiration to excess. They recognise when influencer content begins to feel repetitive and trust erodes.

Virality, too, is often misunderstood. It is not a strategy to chase, but an outcome. Campaigns rooted in insight do not aim to go viral; they aim to resonate. When content reflects something familiar, a shared truth, emotion, or tension, it travels organically because people see themselves in it.

Ideas attract attention. Insights build connection.

The evolving role of PR

For PR professionals, this shift has redefined success. Coverage volume alone no longer tells the full story. The more meaningful questions today are: Did the communication influence behaviour? Did it align with cultural conversations? Did it address a real consumer pain point?

Insight-first thinking allows these questions to be answered at the planning stage, rather than corrected midway through execution.

In a world where formats and platforms will continue to evolve, what remains constant is the power of authentic communication. The strongest campaigns today do not begin with a brainstorm, but with observation, interpretation, and empathy. That is not just better marketing, it is more responsible, resilient, and meaningful brand-building.

Brands

Ahmad Muneeb elevated to VP – HR centre of excellence at Zepto

Published

7 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Zepto has elevated Ahmad Muneeb to vice president – HR centre of excellence, placing him at the helm of the company’s total rewards, executive compensation and organisational effectiveness as the quick-commerce firm powers through a high-growth phase.

The move follows his stint as senior director of the HR COE, where he played a central role in preparing the company for IPO readiness while scaling its people analytics capabilities. During this period, Muneeb helped align complex performance management structures with more streamlined and scalable employee experience frameworks.

In his new role, he will steer the design of total rewards strategies, executive compensation planning and organisational design, while also overseeing performance management, employee experience initiatives and people analytics programmes.

Before joining Zepto, Muneeb spent nearly three years at Meesho, where he held multiple rewards and HR business partner roles. Earlier in his career, he worked as a senior rewards consultant at Mercer, advising high-tech clients on compensation benchmarking, pay structures and talent-focused reward frameworks.

He began his hr journey at Cognizant, where he supported compensation programmes for nearly two lakh employees across India and worked on m&a compensation alignment and skill-based pay initiatives. Prior to moving into HR, Muneeb started his career as a software engineer at Netcracker, bringing a technical grounding to his people strategy work.

With a mix of consulting rigour, start-up agility and enterprise-scale experience, Muneeb’s elevation signals Zepto’s continued focus on building robust people systems as it races towards its next phase of growth.