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Tag: Hamid Ansari

  • Advertorial edges out editorial: State intervention crucial in public interest, says Veep

    NEW DELHI: Vice President M Hamid Ansari has stressed the need for a responsible press in an open society to hold power to account.

    This is why freedom of press under Article 19 (1)(A) of the Constitution, is subject only to reasonable restrictions in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, public order, decency, contempt of court, defamation and incitement to an offence.

    The Supreme Court has held that ‘freedom of speech and of the press is the Ark of the Covenant of Democracy’ because public criticism is essential to the working of its institutions.

    He was addressing an event to launch the commemorative edition of National Herald, in Bengaluru, Karnataka today. Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

    The Vice President said the history of journalism in India is closely linked to the history of our freedom struggle. The Press played an important role in educating, convincing and mobilizing people, he added.

    The Vice President said that Jawaharlal Nehru – who conceived National Herald – envisioned a free, unfettered and honest press and he watched over the interests of media persons in independent India. The Working Journalists Act, which tried to give a degree of protection to journalists, to ensure freedom of press, was largely his doing, he added.

    Ansari said in this age of ‘post-truths’, and ‘alternative facts’, where ‘advertorials’ and ‘response features’ edge-out editorials, there was need to recall Nehru’s vision of the press playing its role of a watchdog in democracy and looking at the ethos and principles that powered his journalism.

    He added that while the Constitutional framework provides for required intervention by the State to ensure smooth working of the press and the society, it provides that such intervention should only be in the interest of the public at large.

    Referring to the role of the media in the freedom movement, he said the Press emerged as a tool for national awakening. It became a medium of nationalist political participation for the masses. The Press was a medium for propagation of modern ideas of democracy, freedom and equality. The English Press emerged as a medium of communication between nationalists across the country and played a role in welding India into a single nation and in giving the Indians a sense of national identity. This was crucial in mobilising the masses for various nationalist and social causes.

    A free media is not only beneficial but necessary in a free society. If press freedom is attacked, it will result in the jeopardising of citizen’s rights. When faced with unjust restrictions and the threat of attack, self-censorship in the media can have the opposite effect, aiding the covering up of abuses and fostering frustration in marginalized communities.

  • Ex-Infosys executive Shashi Shekar Vempati appointed as Prasar Bharati CEO

    NEW DELHI: The executive vacuum at the top of India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati has been filled. A three member committee consisting of India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari, Press Council of India chairman Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad and ministry of information & broadcasting secretary Ajay Mittal (representing the President of India) decided to appoint Prasar Bharati part time member and technocrat Shashi Shekar Vempati as its CEO.
     
     The appointment is for a period of five years from the time Vempati assumes charge of his office.
     
    As part time member, Vempati served as chairman of the audit committee, member of finance & accounts committee, technology committee and sports rights committee, apart from HR committee.
     
    An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai, Vempati has over two decades of experience as a technocrat with specialization in corporate management, technology consulting and digital media.
     
    He also served for more than 16 years with Infosys as product strategist and digital innovator in North America. He has two patents in his name: real time business event monitoring, tracking and execution architecture” and “system and method of monitoring and management of inventory of products and assets in real time”.:.

    He spent three years as CEO of Niti Digital and was responsible for the News Media Platform NitiCentral.com – India’s first center right digital news media platform, the data and analytics platform IndiaVotes.com – India’s largest public database of electoral data and the digital campaign platform India272.com which played a pivotal role for Narendra Modi’s Mission 272+ during the 2014 Indian general elections.
     
    He has authored many books including ‘Broadcasting Technologies in India’, ‘National Digital Security Architecture in India’, and ‘Creating a Global Media Platform out of India.”
     
    Earlier in February this year, Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash wrote to the government to expedite the selection for a new CEO and member (personnel) in the pubcaster.
     
    A high-level committee headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari has to – as per protocol – meet to select a new CEO and other members.
    .
    The previous CEO Jawhar Sircar resigned prematuredly (his terms was to end in February 2017) with effect from 4 November 2016. Since then, two different officials – member (finance) Rajeev Singh and before him then member personnel Suresh C Panda (since retired) held interim charge of the post.
     

  • Suresh Panda may be Prasar Bharati interim CEO; liberal DD auction criteria recommended

    Suresh Panda may be Prasar Bharati interim CEO; liberal DD auction criteria recommended

    NEW DELHI: Suresh Panda, member (personnel) in Prasar Bharati is expected to take over as the acting chief executive officer of the pubcaster after the incumbent CEO Jawhar Sircar demits office on 4 November.

    The Prasar Bharati Board has recommended relaxation in the criteria for auction of prime time slots on DD National. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Board held today under the chairmanship of Dr Surya Prakash.

    However, Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com that Panda’s ad hoc charge will be subject to approval by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

    After 4 November, a high-level committee headed by India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari will meet as stipulated in the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to select a new CEO.

    Meanwhile, the Board also took some decisions with regard to the proposed auction of prime time slots on Doordarshan National.

    It was decided, among other changes, to fix the minimum reserve price for the auction of half-hour slots at Rs 1,50,000. Full details were not available but there may also be a reduction in the total number of hours a prospective producer should have clocked either as a filmmaker or as television producer.

    The slot auction was first announced in June but failed as there were no bidders, while those who bid the second time late last month failed to meet the minimum requirements.

    The regulations had been relaxed and the second auction had been fixed for 5 September.

    Under the rules until now, only producers/production houses that have produced at least 200 hours of general entertainment programming including feature film production in any Indian language in the last three years will be eligible to apply for bidding for slots on the national channel of Doordarshan.

    Following a revision of terms after June, the Prasar Bharati Board had said that production houses with a turnover of minimum Rs 3 crore per annum in the field of TV and Film production in the last three financial years are eligible to apply.

    Applicants for weekend slots in the genres of Reality, Game, Quiz, should have produced 100 hrs of such content in the last 3 years.

    Earlier, only those with production in television and a minimum of 300 hours had been allowed. But this has been amplified ti include film production houses and 200 hours of entertainment programming.

    Successful bidder(s) will produce fresh programmes in various genres of general entertainment programme for Doordarshan adhering to the programming/broadcasting codes of Prasar Bharati.

  • Suresh Panda may be Prasar Bharati interim CEO; liberal DD auction criteria recommended

    Suresh Panda may be Prasar Bharati interim CEO; liberal DD auction criteria recommended

    NEW DELHI: Suresh Panda, member (personnel) in Prasar Bharati is expected to take over as the acting chief executive officer of the pubcaster after the incumbent CEO Jawhar Sircar demits office on 4 November.

    The Prasar Bharati Board has recommended relaxation in the criteria for auction of prime time slots on DD National. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Board held today under the chairmanship of Dr Surya Prakash.

    However, Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com that Panda’s ad hoc charge will be subject to approval by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

    After 4 November, a high-level committee headed by India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari will meet as stipulated in the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to select a new CEO.

    Meanwhile, the Board also took some decisions with regard to the proposed auction of prime time slots on Doordarshan National.

    It was decided, among other changes, to fix the minimum reserve price for the auction of half-hour slots at Rs 1,50,000. Full details were not available but there may also be a reduction in the total number of hours a prospective producer should have clocked either as a filmmaker or as television producer.

    The slot auction was first announced in June but failed as there were no bidders, while those who bid the second time late last month failed to meet the minimum requirements.

    The regulations had been relaxed and the second auction had been fixed for 5 September.

    Under the rules until now, only producers/production houses that have produced at least 200 hours of general entertainment programming including feature film production in any Indian language in the last three years will be eligible to apply for bidding for slots on the national channel of Doordarshan.

    Following a revision of terms after June, the Prasar Bharati Board had said that production houses with a turnover of minimum Rs 3 crore per annum in the field of TV and Film production in the last three financial years are eligible to apply.

    Applicants for weekend slots in the genres of Reality, Game, Quiz, should have produced 100 hrs of such content in the last 3 years.

    Earlier, only those with production in television and a minimum of 300 hours had been allowed. But this has been amplified ti include film production houses and 200 hours of entertainment programming.

    Successful bidder(s) will produce fresh programmes in various genres of general entertainment programme for Doordarshan adhering to the programming/broadcasting codes of Prasar Bharati.

  • CNN IBN names winners across categories for Indian Of The Year

    CNN IBN names winners across categories for Indian Of The Year

    MUMBAI: Recognizing the remarkable achievements and contributions of Indians, who have tirelessly worked towards strengthening India’s foundation in the last calendar year, CNN-IBN named the winners of its Indian of the Year Award 2014.

     

    At a star-studded awards ceremony held in New Delhi, winners across politics, sports, entertainment, business, public service and Global Indian categories amongst others were announced and felicitated by the vice president of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari.

     

    The grand finale of the award ceremony will be telecast on CNN-IBN on 21 March at 2 pm followed by a repeat at 8 pm.

     

    CNN-IBN INDIAN OF THE YEAR 2014

     

    Narendra Modi: In 2014, India witnessed an epic political battle, at the centre of which was none other than Narendra Modi. Running a never seen before electoral campaign, addressing over 450 rallies across the country, Modi finally won what he called ‘the Verdict of Hope.’ He is our Indian of the year 2014 for making the story of Lok Sabha elections 2014 – the story of Narendra Modi.

     

     

    Speaking on the occasion IBN Network CEO Avinash Kaul said, “It has been our privilege to have felicitated some of the most successful Indians who have made the nation proud and set an example for all of us. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2014”.

     

    CNN-IBN managing editor Radhakrishnan Nair said, “It is our great pride and pleasure that CNN-IBN Indian of the Year is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the country today. The award is our earnest effort to appreciate the outstanding contribution of our fellow Indians and their allegiance in making India shine. I wish all the winners hearty congratulations.”

     

     

    The winners across different categories are:

     

    Politics

     

    Arun Jaitley: For proving his dynamism by eliminating all ambiguity and unresolved leadership issues within the BJP, post the Vajpayee – Advani era. A man for all seasons, he has played a crucial role in projecting Narendra Modi as BJP’s PM candidate.

     

    Sports

     

    Jitu Rai: For his phenomenal record that started in June 2014 with three World Cup Medals including a Gold, followed by the Commonwealth Gold, a world championship Silver, an Olympic ticket and last but not the least, India’s first Gold at Incheon – a remarkable feat from an Indian shooter.

     

    Business

     

    N Chandrasekaran: For his ability to push boundaries that has made Tata Consultancy Services amongst the most valuable IT services companies in the world. Under N Chandrasekaran’s leadership the $13 billion-plus software gorilla has sprinted way ahead of others in growth and valuation metrics.

     

    Entertainment

     

    Chetan Bhagat: For being a literary superstar, whose bestsellers have been adapted into record breaking movies and who has introduced millions to English fiction. An investment banker, an author of seven best-selling novels and now a screenplay writer, Chetan Bhagat’s versatility is inimitable.

     

    Public Service

     

    Tongam Rina: For continuing her journalism of courage in the face of extreme adversity. Not even bullets could silence this journalist! Even after being shot at close range in 2012, Tongam Rina, the associate editor of Arunachal Times continues to write against injustice.

     

    Global Indian

     

    Satya Nadella: For successfully breaking the glass ceiling at the largest software company in the world. The third CEO in technology giant Microsoft’s history, Satya Nadella has successfully turned Microsoft into a company with a much broader and holistic view and driven a new level of openness.

     

    Popular Science

     

    K Chandrasekhar Rao: For leading the oldest statehood movement of India to realization and helping create India’s 29th state – Telangana. A mass leader who resuscitated the Telangana movement, K Chandrasekhar Rao is now the first Chief Minister of India’s newest state.

     

    P Vijayan: For being the force behind the Student Police Cadet Project and initiating several novel schemes to promote education among poor children. IPS officer P. Vijayan’s own journey from a child labourer to an IPS officer is an inspiration to many.

     

    Special Achievement

     

    Kangana Ranaut: For being amongst the few actresses in the Hindi film industry to have successfully carried films as a protagonist. Ranaut stirred up the nation with her critically applauded performance in Vikas Bahl’s commercial success Queen followed by an experimental film Revolver Rani. 

     

    Pankaj Advani: For adding to his amazing legacy in Billiards and Snooker and raising the profile of these sports in India. The only Indian to have won twelve World titles at 29, Pankaj Advani created history by winning an incredible Four World titles in 2014.

     

    Outstanding Achievement

     

    Kailash Satyarthi: For being at the forefront of the movement to end child slavery. Kailash Satyarthi founded and leads the ‘Bachpan Bachao Aandolan’ organization that has rescued over 82,000 children from a life of exploitation. An engineer by profession, Satyarthi has dedicated all his efforts to combat child labour and child trafficking.

     

    Azim Premji: For launching the Azim Premji Philanthropic initiative in 2014 to fund non-profit organizations working in key areas like nutrition, disabilities and governance. Premji has given away more than four billion dollars in the last four years, making him one of India’s biggest philanthropists.

     

    Lifetime Achievement

     

    The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO): With a committed team of scientists and engineers, ISRO has proved itself time and again as one of the best teams in cracking the mysteries of space exploration. It made its mark with Chandrayaan, its mission to the moon and now with its Mars mission, Mangalyaan, India has stamped its mark as a major space power.

     

    CNN-IBN INDIAN Of The Year 2014

     

    Narendra Modi: In 2014, India witnessed an epic political battle, at the centre of which was none other than Narendra Modi. Running a never seen before electoral campaign, addressing over 450 rallies across the country, Modi finally won what he called ‘the Verdict of Hope.’ He is CNN-IBN’s Indian of the year 2014 for making the story of Lok Sabha elections 2014 – the story of Narendra Modi.

     

    IBN Network CEO Avinash Kaul said, “It has been our privilege to have felicitated some of the most successful Indians, who have made the nation proud and set an example for all of us. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2014.”

     

    CNN-IBN managing editor Radhakrishnan Nair added, “It is our great pride and pleasure that CNN-IBN Indian of the Year is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the country today. The award is our earnest effort to appreciate the outstanding contribution of our fellow Indians and their allegiance in making India shine. I wish all the winners hearty congratulations.”

     

    Instituted in 2006, this is the ninth edition of CNN-IBN Indian of the Year. Over the years, the awards have achieved prestige and credibility unmatched by others in the media industry. The awards adhere to a transparent selection process that includes the IBN Editorial Board drawing a list of nominees, further ratified by a Jury panel, consisting of a select group of distinguished personalities, bestowed with the most prestigious Padma honours.

     

  • Veteran journalist A Surya Prakash is the new Prasar Bharati chairman

    Veteran journalist A Surya Prakash is the new Prasar Bharati chairman

    NEW DELHI: Senior journalist A Surya Prakash has been appointed the chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board, succeeding Mrinal Pande whose term ended around six months earlier.

     

    The appointment, which will be for three years, was made on the recommendation of a three-member committee headed by Vice President M Hamid Ansari and comprising Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju and Information and Broadcasting Ministry secretary Bimal Julka.  

     

    Pande completed her tenure on 30 April this year. 

     

    The pubcaster, which was created by the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act 1990 but notified in 1997, is governed by the Prasar Bharati Board, which comprises a chairman, an executive member (chief executive officer), a member (finance), a member (personnel), six part-time members, a representative of the I&B Ministry and the directors general of All India Radio and Doordarshan as ex-officio members.

     

    The chairman is a part time member. 

     

    Prakash has vast experience of both TV and print media. He has held key positions in several print and electronic media organisations.

     

    He was editor of Zee News; executive editor of the Pioneer; India editor of Asia Times which is a business and political daily published from Bangkok and Singapore; political editor of the Eenadu Group of Newspapers; and chief of bureau, Indian Express, New Delhi.

     

    He is also known for his well-researched interventions on national political issues. He is the founder-director of the Film and Media School at the Institute of Integrated Learning in Management, New Delhi, and founder-director of the Pioneer Media School. 

     

    Prakash is currently consulting editor of the Pioneer newspaper and a distinguished fellow at Delhi-based Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), a think tank with which National Security advisor Ajit Doval was also associated earlier.  

  • Films form important component of Festival of India in Peru

    Films form important component of Festival of India in Peru

    NEW DELHI: Indian films are making a global presence it seems. At the Festival of India in Peru that was recently inaugurated by vice president Hamid Ansari, few new Indian films and old classics including Raja Harishchandra (silent), Taare Zameen Par (Hindi), Ghare Bhaire (Bengali), Ardh Satya (Hindi), Bobby (Hindi), A Wednesday (Hindi) and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (Hindi) are being screened. The Indian Film Festival is being coordinated by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

     

    An India-Peru Literature Festival and an Indian Classical Dance Festival is also being held as part of the fest.

     

    Ansari’s visit is the highest ranking bilateral visit since year 1998 from India to Peru. The Festival would manifest many elements of long, rich and diverse Indian cultural heritage and would be the largest Indian cultural festival ever held in Latin America and the Caribbean. This reflects the special place that Peru enjoys among Indians.

     

    The inaugural function was attended by the Peruvian First Vice President Marisol Espinoza and a number of senior dignitaries from the Indian and Peruvian side.

     

    Indian Culture Secretary Ravindra Singh who is in Peru to mark the occasion said the Festival is expected to bring the Indian and Peruvian people closer to each other and will enhance people to people contact.

     

    Highly reputed Indian writers like Arun Kamal, H S Shivaprakash, K Satchidanandan, Purshottam Agarwal, Shyama Prasad Ganguly, and Ms Karabi Deka Hazarika participated in the symposium on India-Latin America: Literary Exchanges and Influences and Contemporary Literary Trends and their Challenges in a Multilingual Society in addition to a session on poetry reading.

     

    Several noted Peruvian Writers including Jose Leon Herrera, Pablo Carreno Cabrejos, Jose Ignacio Lopez Gaston, Marcel Velaquez Castro, and leading poets Carlos German Belli, Mario Montalbetti, and Marcos Martos would be participating in the Literature Festival. The Literature Festival is being coordinated by the Sahitya Academy.

    The Indian Dance Festival in Peru is titled ‘Nrityarupa’, the mosaic of Indian dance which encapsulates the experience of Indian dance as it has evolved in various parts of the India. It offers a glimpse of the great mosaic of cultures that constitutes the Indian Nation, and demonstrates in a creative, kinetic form their dynamics in relation to each other. Six dance forms representing the diversity of India’s culture have been chosen for this presentation to audiences in Latin America: Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kathank which is pre-eminently the dance of northern India; Odissi from Odisha in eastern India; Manipuri from north-eastern State of India; Kathakali of Kerala at Southern tip of the Indian peninsula; and Chhau which covers a wide swathe of territory in eastern States of the Union.

     

    One seamless presentation of these dances has been visualized by leading to a jubiliant finish. The Indian Dance Festival is being coordinated by the Sangeet Natak Academy.

     

    The Festival of India in Peru is being coordinated by the Culture Ministry in association with the Sahitya Academy, the Sangeet Natak Academy and the I&B Ministry.

     

    Meanwhile, India and Peru have signed a Letter of Intent for enhancing cooperation in the fields of dissemination and promotion of cultural heritage of each other´s countries.

     

    The two sides underscored the importance of further deepening bilateral cultural relations through cultural exchanges and cooperation in diverse art forms such as painting, dance, theatre, literature, craft, etc. as well as holding of cultural festivals in each other´s countries from time to time. 

  • CNN-IBN Awards: RK Laxman lifetime awardee, E Sreedharan Indian of the Year

    MUMBAI: Surprising everyone present, the CNN IBN Lifetime Achievement Award went to “Common Man” RK Laxman, the legendary cartoonist of “You Said It!” fame.

    Laxman broke down while receiving the award from former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, and could not speak, partly due to a bad throat, but mostly because he became extremely emotional.

    The award was preceded by a minute’s silence in honour of Mahatma Gandhi.

    By open vote, the Indian of the Year award went to E Sreedharan, the man who masterminded Delhi Metro and has been recognised around the world, including France where he was honoured with the Legion of Honour, the highest civilian award of the country.

    Sreedharan, who is the Chairman of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, was also awarded the Indian of the Year in the Public Service category for setting a rare work ethic and transforming the face of transportation by effective time-bound execution of the Metro Rail project.

    In his speech, he mentioned that the Delhi Metro was looking to span 400 kms in the NCR by 2021.

    Members of the public present, including sportspersons and politicians cutting across affiliations, voted for Sreedharan.

    The Indian of the Year in Politics went to Union Minister of Finance P Chidambaram for engineering a spectacular growth rate and being an astute economic manager despite coalition pressures.

    Chidambaram joked that if there were any prize for a sinner, it would go to a politician, but added on a more serious note that people come to politics because they want to change society and the country for the better, emphatically declaring, “I am proud to be a politician.”

    Except for Laxman, the other awardees received their trophies from Vice President Hamid Ansari, who was the chief guest, with Kalam being the guest of honour.

    But perhaps even more surprising than the Laxman award was the one given to State Bank of India’s OP Bhatt in the Business Category.

    Bhatt’s citation said he got the award for his remarkable achievements in the ascent of the State Bank of India.

    He was responsible for showing how a public sector behemoth could take on the private players and emerge as a force in the fiercely competitive banking sector.

    Bhatt went into an emotional acceptance speech and said he was surprised as it is rare for a public sector enterprise to be recognised at such a magnitude.

    Dedicating the award to “Team SBI,” he further went on to say that this award would make the Team SBI strive to make the bank one of the top 10 in the world.

    For the Entertainment category, the honours went to Shimit Amin and Jaideep Sahni for delivering the year’s Best Idea Film Chak De India and demonstrating how a simple idea can make a runaway commercial success.

    Earlier, speaking on the sidelines, Rajdeep Sardesai told indiantelevision.com that this clearly shows that the CNN-IBN awards were not about star value, as Shah Rukh Khan was one of the nominees in the category, but the prize went to backroom geniuses.

    On receiving the award, Sahni mentioned the plight of the Indian women’s hockey team and pleaded with the government to take steps to improve the state of the game.

    The recipient in the Sports category was not at all a surprise. For his achievements in chess, Vishwanathan Anand took the award.

    The citation read that the award was presented to him for being one of the rare Indians to be the undisputed world champion in a sport and making chess a popular sport in India.

    Anand’s parents received the award, and his father mentioned that the one person responsible for this was Anand’s mother, who always encouraged him.

    Global Indian of the year was Arun Sarin of Vodafone for piloting more than US$ 11 billion FDI in India, one of the largest ever.

    An IIT-ian from IIT-Kharagpur, he is one of those small-town people to have made an impact globally. In his speech, he mentioned that if a small-town boy like him can make it this big, the scope for rise in India today was endless.

    Inaugurating the ceremony, Raghav Bahl, the TV 18 group patriarch, spoke of the fact that this was an honour for the group which has stuck to responsible and credible journalism.

    Bahl said that giving an award to people who have been reported in the channels, often unsparingly, “changed the terms of engagement” and made it that much tougher on deciding between the various nominees, all top rung individuals in their own fields.

    To underline the tough task that the jury had in hand, jury chairman and eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee said that he now realises how difficult it is to decide, and appreciated the judiciary in general because of the nature of job and added that they are often criticised despite their best efforts.