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Tag: Rahul Kanwal

  • NDTV Profit IGNITE Debuts with a Defining Dialogue for Samvat 2082

    NDTV Profit IGNITE Debuts with a Defining Dialogue for Samvat 2082

    MUMBAI: In a grand launch befitting the festive spirit of Diwali, NDTV Profit hosted the first edition of IGNITE in Mumbai, convening India’s top market strategists, corporate leaders, fintech founders, and investors. The event underscored the urgency and optimism with which market participants are looking ahead to the new Samvat, seeking both direction and conviction in the wake of global economic turbulence.

    As the forum opened, veteran investor Ramesh Damani set the tone with a candid assessment: ‘The world today is vastly different from when I began in 1989,’ he remarked, calling for a recalibration of expectations and strategy. While globalization once dominated frameworks, he noted, nations now increasingly must fend for themselves. Yet, he asserted, India remains comparatively well-placed to navigate these headwinds.

    Damani also steered the attention toward sunrise sectors — rare earth minerals, shipbuilding, and infrastructure development — while voicing caution on gold’s long-term track record.

    Manish Chokhani of Enam offered a counter-view on gold’s resurgence as a hedge against inflation and Western monetary excess, though he too reinforced the importance of discipline and patience.

    From the exchange’s vantage, Ashishkumar Chauhan, CEO of NSE, issued a firm caution on leverage and derivatives, warning individual investors that unlike companies, they lack bankruptcy protections. ‘Leverage is the ultimate risk,’ he said, urging restraint.

    Nilesh Shah of Kotak Mahindra AMC underlined how India’s startups are absorbing technology at unprecedented speed and called for reforms to further unlock potential.

    Sundeep Sikka of Nippon Life AMC emphasized the resilience of SIP flows as a safeguard against emotional investing. Harshvardhan Roongta highlighted that no portfolio is complete without insurance, while Ayush Mittal urged investors to use AI as a research ally, not a substitute for judgement.

    The conversation also touched on consumption revival post-GST cuts, with Mayank Shah of Parle Products explaining how pricing benefits would filter down to smaller packs in the months ahead. Market voice Vijay Kedia called the IPO market ‘frothy,’ reiterating his now-signature lines urging discipline, patience, and conviction. Actor-entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi brought a refreshing entrepreneurial lens, sharing how his educational venture Swarnim University is blending degrees with start-up culture to build India’s next generation of founders.

    Rahul Kanwal, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of NDTV, said: ‘IGNITE is about bringing the market’s most trusted voices together. At a time when investors are flooded with noise, we want to create a space that offers clarity and reason. Our goal is to help people understand where real opportunities lie, and to make those conversations accessible to everyone who looks to NDTV Profit for guidance.

    The launch of IGNITE marks a new chapter for NDTV Profit — a conversation designed to explore the choices investors must make in an uncertain world. With its first edition setting the bar high, IGNITE will return through the year as a space where clarity, wisdom, and foresight come together to shape the conversation on India’s financial future.
     

  • NDTV World Summit 2025 to host four PMs together

    NDTV World Summit 2025 to host four PMs together

    MUMBAI: Four prime ministers, one stage, endless possibilities. The NDTV World Summit 2025, set for 17–18 October in New Delhi, will see an unprecedented convergence of global leadership: India’s PM Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan PM Harini Amarasuriya, former UK PM Rishi Sunak, and former Australian PM Tony Abbott. Two serving and two former heads of government sharing the stage underscores the Summit’s stature as a premier forum for ideas shaping the world.

    Under the theme ‘Edge of the unknown: Risk. Resolve. Renewal.’, the Summit aims to tackle uncertainty with imagination, view resolve as deliberate action, and embrace renewal as the creation of uncharted futures. Topics will range from geopolitics and technology to ecology, culture, and economic innovation, offering a rare space where inherited realities meet unwritten possibilities.

    NDTV CEO & editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal said, “This is a crucible of influence where ideas, imagination, and intention converge. The participation of four prime ministers alongside innovators, business leaders, and cultural icons reflects India’s central role in global dialogue and its growing impact on shaping a collective future.”

    The Summit promises to be more than discussion, it will be a stage for vision, creativity, and global collaboration, positioning India at the heart of the world’s conversation and highlighting NDTV’s renewed commitment to curating conversations that matter.

  • Sonu sets Dal Lake afloat with melodies in Srinagar’s first mega concert

    Sonu sets Dal Lake afloat with melodies in Srinagar’s first mega concert

    MUMBAI: When the valley sings, the world listens. On Sunday, 26 October 2025, Srinagar will echo with music as Sonu Nigam headlines the first-ever live concert of its scale in Kashmir, a spectacle curated by NDTV Good Times at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), framed by the shimmering Dal Lake and the mighty Himalayas.

    The evening will be more than a setlist of filmy hits. It will carry the weight of history, with Nigam paying tribute to Mohammed Rafi, the golden voice of Indian cinema, on the year marking a century of his birth. For fans, hearing Rafi saab’s immortal melodies reimagined against Dal Lake’s twilight shimmer promises to be nothing short of spine-tingling.

    “It is more special because we have not seen the celebration of 100 years of the late Mohammed Rafi sahab at Dal Lake. Can you imagine!” said Sonu Nigam. “The whole world knows my connection with my peer, my guru, my inspiration but celebrating his legacy at Dal Lake in Kashmir, celebrating the zest of Kashmir, is going to be really wonderful and special. Looking forward to see you all there.”

    The choice of SKICC as the venue is no accident. Nestled on Dal’s banks, its quiet grandeur will transform into a stage where nature becomes part of the performance. As dusk falls, the lake will mirror the stage lights, turning the concert into a once-in-a-lifetime union of landscape and sound.

    NDTV CEO & editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal framed the event as a cultural milestone: “Good Times was created as a canvas for India’s most extraordinary cultural expressions. To bring Sonu Nigam to Srinagar, with the Dal Lake as his stage, is an affirmation of India’s confidence in presenting its heritage, its beauty, and its artistry to the world. This concert is a defining cultural moment for Kashmir and for the country.”

    Adding to that, NDTV Good Times chief experiences officer Rahul Kumar Shaw said: “When we said Good Times will be about extraordinary experiences, this is what we meant. The first one is here Sonu Nigam at Dal Lake, a never-seen-before cultural spectacle that puts Srinagar on the world stage. We are the first ones in many years to come here and create something of this scale, and it is a privilege to do so in Kashmir, a land whose people have an unmatched spirit. We’ve promised audiences that every NDTV Good Times experience will be bigger, richer, and more immersive, and this evening is exactly that, a concert you don’t just attend, but one you carry back with you.”

    For Kashmir, long immortalised in poetry and cinema, this isn’t just about melodies under the stars. It is about reclaiming a space on the cultural world map, showing the valley as a venue of celebration, pride, and artistry.

    Tickets for the concert, available exclusively on District, are already in high demand, with limited seating adding urgency to what is billed as one of Kashmir’s most significant cultural events.

    On 26 October, as Sonu Nigam’s voice floats over Dal Lake, the valley will not just host a concert, it will witness music, memory and mountains merge into history.

  • NDTV Profit sharpens focus with new identity ‘For Your Profit’

    NDTV Profit sharpens focus with new identity ‘For Your Profit’

    NEW DELHI: The Adani-owned NDTV is on a reinvention spree. At its GST Conclave on 9 September, NDTV Profit unveiled a new positioning—‘For Your Profit’—signalling its ambition to become more than a market ticker and instead a platform that helps every Indian plug into the country’s growth story.

    The campaign, created with Creativeland Asia, rests on the idea that profit is no longer the privilege of the few but the possibility of the many. As equity participation rises, digital entrepreneurship flourishes, and financial awareness spreads, the channel wants to bridge knowledge gaps and spotlight opportunities for shopkeepers, homemakers, first-time investors and start-up founders alike.

    NDTV chief executive & editor in chief Rahul Kanwal, chief executive put it simply: “Profit begins with people—with their aspirations, their tomorrow. Progress holds meaning only when it empowers lives. That is the essence of our new identity.”

    Creativeland Asia  founder & chairman Sajan Raj Kurup was more lyrical: “From Dalal Street to every street, democracy is now demat. Profit is no longer a solitary pursuit. With ‘For Your Profit’, NDTV Profit steps into this moment of democratisation to make profit the possibility of the many.”

    With its refreshed identity, NDTV Profit promises sharper insights, meaningful conversations and decisive analysis—aiming to be less a broadcaster and more a catalyst in India’s economic journey.

  • Revolving doors keep spinning in television as executives flee for calmer pastures

    Revolving doors keep spinning in television as executives flee for calmer pastures

    MUMBAI: The Indian media and entertainment business is experiencing something of a convulsion. At the heart of the storm sits television, a medium once considered impregnable, now rattled by both economic pressures and shifting consumption patterns. Senior and mid-level executives are walking out of plush offices at an unprecedented rate, turning resignation letters into the industry’s hottest commodity. The revolving doors at general entertainment channels, factual broadcasters and news networks have scarcely stopped spinning.

    Take the case of Rahul Kanwal, who after more than 16 years of high-profile editorial leadership quit India Today TV to join NDTV, in a move that shocked newsroom insiders. Or Ajit Varghese, the revenue chief at JioStar, who traded the corporate heft of a giant for partnership status at Madison, Sam Balsara’s three-and-a-half-decade-old agency. Meanwhile, Ashish Sehgal, a towering presence at Zee Entertainment for two decades and long seen as a confidant of Subhash Chandra and Punit Goenka bowed out just last week, a departure many in the industry still consider unimaginable.

    The Indian entertainment industry has been undergoing a leadership shake-up, particularly at Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). Veteran executive Neeraj Vyas exited after decades with the broadcaster to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions, signalling a personal pivot. Leena Lele Dutta, who oversaw the Kids and Animation business, is also stepping down, with Ambesh Tiwari set to replace her—a move that reflects SPNI’s portfolio restructuring. At the same time, the network bolstered its programming muscle by onboarding Nimisha Pandey as Programming Head at Sony SAB, underlining a renewed focus on fresh content creation.

    At Zee Media, a similar churn has unfolded. Manish Kalra and Archana Anand departed from Zee5 amid the platform’s ongoing strategy reset, while Mona Jain, Chief Revenue Officer, stepped down in August, citing industry-wide advertising pressures. Leadership realignment continued with Karan Abhishek Singh taking over as CEO, succeeding Abhay Ojha. These shifts highlight both the turbulence caused by stalled merger talks and the urgent need for sharper digital and ad revenue strategies.

    The news broadcasting sector has also witnessed high-profile exits. Avinash Pandey, CEO of ABP Network, resigned after more than two decades, stating personal reasons and the desire for a new professional chapter, with Sumanta Datta stepping in as his successor. MK Anand, CEO of Times Network, retired after leading the group through market headwinds, paving the way for Varun Kohli, who joined as COO to drive growth. Meanwhile, industry veteran Bobby Pawar shifted gears by joining News18 Studio as a creative consultant, reflecting the increasing importance of branded storytelling and creative content partnerships in newsrooms.

    The exits stretch beyond individual cases. Varun Kohli, who lasted barely a year as chief executive of Times Now, is gone. Aditya Raj Kaul, a stalwart of TV9, has crossed over to NDTV. At Warner Bros Discovery, Uttam Pal Singh, who spearheaded kids’ programming, resigned suddenly earlier this year, followed by Azmat Jagmat, another senior name. And in a particularly symbolic shift, Sanjog Gupta, head of sports at JioStar, has left to take up what one insider calls “a less bruising role” at the International Cricket Conference.

    What explains this exodus? A cocktail of pressures, say industry watchers. “Some of the folks are being let go on account of job redundancies,” observes one long-time media consultant. The wave of mergers and acquisitions JioStar’s consolidation, Zee’s attempted tie-ups, and the global reorganisations at Warner Bros Discovery has created overlapping functions. Where there are two people for one chair, one has to go.

    But redundancies only partly explain the malaise. The sharper truth, argue observers, lies in economics. Television revenues are under siege. Ad growth has slowed dramatically, with TAM Media data showing a 10 per cent decline in the first half of the year. Broadcasters, desperate to offset the slide, are demanding steeper targets from revenue heads and programming chiefs. “The expectations are unreasonable,” says another insider. “Advertisers are spoiled for choice, streaming platforms are eating into budgets, and yet top managements are chasing revenue hikes that are simply not possible. The stress is unbearable.”

    Increments, too, have dried up. Senior executives accustomed to annual rises and bonuses now find themselves fighting merely to hold ground. Worse still, broadcasters have been launching streaming services of their own almost all advertising-driven which has only spread resources thinner and pushed teams into even more brutal competition for a shrinking pool of ad dollars.

    Not all departures are sackings; some are voluntary retreats. As one industry observer puts it: “Executives are not just quitting jobs, they’re choosing health over hypertension. The rat race is too costly.” Indeed, several departures from Sanjog Gupta’s exit to ICC, to executives slipping into agencies or advisory roles bear the hallmark of a search for relative calm.

    Macro forces are compounding the gloom. With Russia’s war in Ukraine dragging on, Israel and Palestine locked in fresh conflict, and US president Donald Trump slapping stiff tariffs on Indian goods, global instability is feeding into local advertising budgets. Brands, particularly multinationals, are cautious, trimming campaigns and deferring big spends. “Belt-tightening will only intensify in the second half of the year,” warns a veteran media planner. “Blood baths are going to continue. Expect more resignations, more forced exits. The churn is far from over.”

    For now, television in India is still a business of scale: hundreds of millions watch every day, advertising still contributes the lion’s share of broadcaster revenues, and regional channels continue to proliferate. But for the men and women running the show, the glamour has dimmed. The executive suite, once the ultimate perch, has become a revolving door. And the more it spins, the less likely it seems to stop anytime soon.

     

  • Aditya Raj Kaul joins NDTV as senior executive editor for geopolitics and security

    Aditya Raj Kaul joins NDTV as senior executive editor for geopolitics and security

    NEW DELHI: NDTV has named Aditya Raj Kaul senior executive editor for geopolitics, national security and strategic affairs at NDTV 24×7, bolstering its newsroom with one of India’s most seasoned voices on foreign policy and defence.

    Kaul wasted no time settling in. On his very first day, he was filing dispatches from Tianjin, China, where Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin gathered for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
    With more than 15 years in frontline journalism, Kaul has reported from some of the world’s most volatile flashpoints — the India-China standoff in Ladakh, the abrogation of Article 370, the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Jordan, major terror strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and India’s first state visit to Israel and Palestine. He was the first journalist on the ground during the 2014 Kashmir floods and has tracked disasters from Uttarakhand to Chhattisgarh’s Maoist belt.

    His international docket includes the G20 in Australia, Brics in China, Asean in Malaysia and Vietnam, and Saarc in Nepal, alongside high-level visits to the US, Germany and Israel. Along the way, he has secured exclusives with leaders such as S. Jaishankar, Amrullah Saleh, Tony Abbott and Benjamin Netanyahu.

    An award-winning documentary maker, Kaul’s films include Airlift on India’s evacuation in Ukraine and Killed by the Taliban on the death of Danish Siddiqui. His work has earned the Golden DigiPub World Award, News Television Award, and the Ram Jethmalani Prize.

    Rahul Kanwal, NDTV’s chief executive and editor-in-chief, hailed him as “among the finest in the field of strategic and international journalism,” adding that his presence in Tianjin on day one “shows his readiness and NDTV’s intent to be at the forefront of global stories.”

    Kaul said he was “honoured to join NDTV at this important juncture,” pledging to bring “clarity and context to events that impact millions.”

  • NDTV launches ‘The Buck Stops Here’ with Padmaja Joshi

    NDTV launches ‘The Buck Stops Here’ with Padmaja Joshi

    MUMBAI: When it comes to primetime chatter, NDTV is putting its money where its mouth is. With The Buck Stops Here, fronted by Padmaja Joshi, the network is betting on a simple promise: end the noise, get to the point, and deliver answers that matter.

    Airing weeknights at 9 pm on NDTV 24×7, the show is pitched as the “end of every argument”, a space where governance, economy, society and India’s role in the world are not just debated but distilled into clarity.

    Joshi, NDTV’s managing editor and primetime anchor, brings her trademark directness to the role. “No evasion and no prevarication” she insists, setting the tone for debates that aim to close with conclusions rather than cliff-hangers.

    CEO and editor-in-chief, Rahul Kanwal, framed the launch as a statement of intent and said, “The Buck Stops Here is primetime as India deserves it – rigorous, and uncompromisingly focused on what matters most to the nation. Padmaja Joshi brings an editorial depth and clarity of vision that will ensure this is not just another show, but the end of every argument – a definitive moment in the national conversation.”

    For NDTV, the programme signals more than a new slot, it marks the channel’s renewed ambition to mirror a confident India with sharper, bolder coverage. For viewers weary of endless shouting matches, it could well be the place where the buck really does stop.

  • NDTV India gets its Suhail signal as prime-time champ joins the network

    NDTV India gets its Suhail signal as prime-time champ joins the network

    MUMBAI: The 9 pm battlefield has a new warrior, and he’s carrying numbers sharper than any sword. Syed Suhail, Hindi television’s undisputed prime-time champion for over 100 weeks, has joined NDTV India as senior executive editor and prime-time anchor. In a fiercely fought time band where star anchors jostle for dominance, Suhail carved his legacy with sheer consistency and clarity. His previous show not only ruled the 9 pm slot week after week but also became Hindi prime time’s most-watched broadcast, drawing nearly 19 million viewers on average. Even more telling audiences stuck with him longer than with any other face on screen at that hour, turning his dominance into a ritual for three straight years.

    Suhail’s rise is no overnight story. From his early days at Jain TV and a regional channel where he learnt humility, to P7 News and News Nation where he sharpened his storytelling, each stop added grit and finesse. At News24, he mastered viewer connect, and by the time he reached Republic Bharat, he had rewritten the rules of the 9 pm battleground. His 100-day trek across 45 districts of Uttar Pradesh meeting everyone from ministers to security guards and children in orphanages cemented his India-first philosophy of journalism.

    What separates him from the pack is not just ratings. Suhail personally reviews every show, swears by the power of visuals, and insists the story itself should be the star. For him, journalism is less about noise and more about keeping the ordinary citizen at the centre while putting the nation’s interests above all.

    On his move to NDTV India, Suhail said, “From the start of my career, I have admired NDTV for its credibility and ‘viewer-first’ approach. To be part of this network is not just a professional honour, it is a responsibility to remain true to the common man and to tell their stories simply, honestly, and with commitment.”

    Welcoming him, NDTV CEO & editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal, said: “Suhail is one of Hindi television’s most trusted prime-time voices. He brings not just ratings leadership but also credibility and an instinctive connection with viewers. We are delighted to welcome him to NDTV India as we strengthen our promise of meaningful, people-first journalism for a new India.”

    For viewers, the message is clear: at 9 pm, Suhail will now set the tone for NDTV India. For rivals, the battle just got that much harder.

  • NDTV appoints Anupam Srivastava as chief executive producer, NDTV India and regionals

    NDTV appoints Anupam Srivastava as chief executive producer, NDTV India and regionals

    MUMBAI: NDTV has appointed Anupam Srivastava as chief executive producer for NDTV India and its regional channels. He brings over two decades of expertise in broadcast journalism, long-form factual storytelling, and channel operations.

    Anupam combines the immediacy of live news with the depth of storytelling. At Times Now, Times Now, Navbharat, and Times Chronicles, he has led coverage of pivotal national events – from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to high-stakes election nights and conducted two rare, exclusive interviews with the Prime Minister.

    In long-form content, his portfolio spans some of the most acclaimed factual series in recent years, including Love Kills on Discovery+, Tiranga on National Geographic India, 1971: Birth of a Nation, Tales of Valour, Kashmir: The Story, and Gallantry of Galwan. His work, marked by rigorous research, cinematic visual design, and disciplined narrative structure, has earned multiple NT Awards and ENBA honours.

    Beyond his editorial work, Anupam has played a pivotal role in shaping the visual and operational identity of channels – from leading the transition from SD to HD, to managing complete channel relocations, overseeing brand-defining design projects, and commissioning original programming for global OTT platforms. His ability to reimagine archival footage into fresh, high-impact narratives has enabled him to deliver premium content across a range of budgets.

    In his new role, Anupam will oversee NDTV India’s flagship programming and also spearhead content strategy, editorial direction, and brand positioning for NDTV’s growing network of regional channels. His mandate includes strengthening regional storytelling, deepening local engagement, and ensuring that the distinct cultural and linguistic character of each market is reflected in the network’s coverage.

    “NDTV’s strength has always been credible, well-crafted storytelling,” said Anupam on his appointment. “My focus will be on building on that strength across both national and regional platforms — refining our craft, and ensuring every story connects with viewers in a meaningful way.”

    “Anupam brings the judgement, experience, and creative focus to elevate NDTV’s premium content. His ability to translate editorial vision into high-quality execution makes him a valuable addition to the team,” said Rahul Kanwal, NDTV India CEO & editor-in-chief.

  • Tarini Kumar appointed senior executive editor, NDTV 24×7

    Tarini Kumar appointed senior executive editor, NDTV 24×7

    NDTV has appointed Tarini Kumar as Senior Executive Editor of its flagship English news channel, NDTV 24×7. In this leadership role, she will be responsible for steering the channel’s output operations – overseeing the daily news flow, driving editorial planning, shaping programming strategy, and ensuring consistent quality in content delivery across time bands.

    Kumar brings with her close to two decades of newsroom experience, marked by senior editorial roles and an in‑depth understanding of broadcast workflows. She spent more than 15 years with India Today TV, where she progressed through a variety of positions, from programming producer to key roles in the output desk to Executive Editor. She played a pivotal role during high-impact national events, including election coverage and special programming blocks that required precision, agility, and sound editorial judgment.

    Before that, she served as deputy news editor at CNN‑News18, where she was responsible for prime‑time shows.

    Speaking on the appointment, NDTV’s CEO and editor-in-chief Rahul Kanwal said, “Tarini’s extensive experience in output leadership and content strategy will strengthen NDTV’s editorial operations and programming depth. She knows news, she knows the people – her arrival brings a renewed focus on fostering strong teamwork and creating workflows that can respond swiftly to breaking developments without compromising on our legacy of editorial rigour.”