ITV

Tag: Vineet Jain

  • Justice takes the spotlight as Junglee Pictures screens haq

    Justice takes the spotlight as Junglee Pictures screens haq

    MUMBAI: Justice found its stage and the stars took the stand as Junglee Pictures hosted an exclusive screening of its upcoming legal drama Haq in New Delhi. The evening saw a rare confluence of cinema and statesmanship, with union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Kiren Rijiju, Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena, former chief justice of India DY Chandrachud, and Times Group managing director Vineet Jain gracing the red carpet at The Chanakya Mall.

    Directed by Suparn S Varma, Haq stars Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi in a gripping tale inspired by a landmark supreme court judgment. The film explores the collision between personal faith and secular law, tackling patriarchy and power while celebrating justice and equality. Written by Reshu Nath, it’s the kind of story that lingers long after the credits roll, a mix of emotion, courage, and conversation.

    Produced by Junglee Pictures in association with Insomnia Films and Baweja Studios, Haq also features a compelling debut by Vartika Singh alongside Sheeba Chaddha, Danish Hussain, and Aseem Hattangady.

    From the first half alone, the film struck a chord with its audience. “It’s not just about women’s empowerment but about justice denied because of personal laws. Everybody should see this movie,” said Hardeep Singh Puri. Union minister Kiren Rijiju added, “The film carries a message that shouldn’t be limited to the screen, every Indian should watch it.”

    Former CJI DY Chandrachud called the screening “an emotional and personal moment,” reflecting on the historic judgment that inspired the narrative. “The rights given to women can’t be taken away, they are vindicated in law and in spirit,” he said.

    Echoing the sentiment, Times Group MD Vineet Jain remarked, “There are two kinds of films, the purely entertaining and those that make you think while entertaining. Haq is both.”

    Set to release in cinemas worldwide on 7 November, Haq promises to be more than just another courtroom drama, it’s a stirring plea for justice, equality, and the courage to question.
     

  • Pickleball World Rankings names National Pickleball League Australia as official 2025 Oceania partner

    Pickleball World Rankings names National Pickleball League Australia as official 2025 Oceania partner

    New Delhi: Pickleball World Rankings (PWR) and  National Pickleball League (NPL) have confirmed a partnership that establishes NPL as the exclusive and official tournament and league provider for the Oceania region in 2025. Through this partnership, NPL’s leagues and tournaments will now be part of the PWR structure, allowing NPL players to earn points towards their PWR ranking and assist in qualifying for the PWR World Series.

    PWR is home to the newly created Pickleball World Rankings, along with the PWR World Tour and PWR World Series. As a unified global ranking system, PWR offers a clear path for pickleball players to earn ranking points by competing in regional events. Players accumulate points through the PWR World Tour and can qualify for the PWR World Series.

    NPL runs the Professional Teams League (NPL ProTour) and a professional tournament circuit.

    As PWR’s exclusive partner in Oceania, only NPL events—both league and tournaments—will award PWR ranking points in the region. This collaboration aims to unify regional bodies under one global structure, supporting the long-term growth and governance of pickleball.

    The exact point structure for NPL Australia tournaments will be announced later in 2024, but all events will fall under PWR’s established categories: PWR50, PWR100, PWR200, PWR400, PWR700, PWR1000, and PWR2000.

    PWR is a partnership between The Times Group, the news and entertainment leader in India and Pickleball League Asia Private Limited.  PWR, the PWR World Series, and the PWR World Tour were launched in Dubai in July’2024, with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced as the host region for the first PWR World Series.

    PWR had also recently announced PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League, a grand pickleball tour and league for India. The former World number one tennis player Andre Agassi will visit India in January 2025 to officially flag off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League.

    PWR DUPR India Masters, a PWR700 event on the PWR World Tour, with an impressive roster of 750 players—both professionals and amateurs, is being held in New Delhi from 24th to 27th October 2024. This event is a key milestone for pickleball, boosting its presence on both the Indian and global sports landscapes.

    NPL CEO Ron Shell said: “We are thrilled to partner with PWR for 2025 and support their significant investment in the global pickleball ecosystem. PWR’s vision for the sport is incredibly exciting, providing our players with the opportunity to be part of a global movement while still enjoying regional competition. The introduction of a unified, international ranking pathway is exactly what has been missing. We look forward to delivering top-tier Oceania leagues and tournaments in 2025, helping players progress in their professional pickleball careers.”

    The Times Group managing director Vineet Jain said: “The vision of PWR is to unify the global pickleball community and drive the growth of pickleball in global markets. The partnership with NPL is a step in that direction and we are excited to partner with them”

    PWR CEO Pranav Kohli added: “Australia is a key market for the growth of PWR in the Oceania region. We’re excited to collaborate with Ron, David, and the entire NPL Australia team. This partnership is a major step in PWR’s global expansion.”

  • Pickleball World Rankings to host PWR DUPR India Masters in New Delhi

    Pickleball World Rankings to host PWR DUPR India Masters in New Delhi

    Mumbai: Pickleball World Rankings, the unified global ranking system for pickleball players, is set to host the PWR DUPR India Masters, a PWR700 event on the PWR World Tour, in the capital city of New Delhi. Pickleball, the  racquet sport in the world, is poised to establish a strong foothold in India with the launch of this prestigious event.

    The tournament will take place from 24 to 27 October 2024 at the RK Khanna Tennis Stadium, marking the first fully owned and operated event by PWR following the successful launch of the PWR World Tour in July 2024 in Dubai, UAE. The Dubai launch, attended by PWR’s anchor investor The Times Group, international pickleball officials, and some of the world’s top players, set the stage for PWR’s expansion across the globe.

    All eyes now turn to New Delhi, where an impressive roster of 750 players—both professionals and amateurs—will compete, further solidifying pickleball’s position as a major sport in India. This event is a key milestone for pickleball, boosting its presence on both the Indian and global sports landscapes.

    The PWR DUPR India Masters promises to generate excitement for pickleball as a growing sport, offering players a platform to showcase their talents and earn valuable ranking points. Participants include top international players such as Dustin Boyer (United States), Phuc Huynh (United States), Roos Van Reek (Netherlands), Mitch Hargreaves (Australia), Emilia Schmidt (Australia), Pei Chuan Kao (Chinese Taipei), as well as leading Indian players like Armaan Bhatia and Aditya Ruhela. They will compete for a prize pool of USD 50,000.

    As a PWR700 event, the tournament will award players up to 700 ranking points, which are valid for 52 weeks, directly impacting their seeding and eligibility for future global competitions. The event will also feature a thrilling PWR Battle of the Leagues—Minor League Pickleball, where teams of 2 men and 2 women will compete across different categories.

    PWR CEO Pranav Kohli said, “The PWR DUPR India Masters is a landmark event that highlights the emergence of pickleball as a beloved sport in India for all ages. Our mission is to build a vibrant community around this sport, blending competition and camaraderie. This event not only gives professionals a platform to compete and earn ranking points but also plays a key role in identifying and nurturing domestic talent, fostering a new generation of players and fans.”

    The Times Group managing director Vineet Jain said, “Pickleball is now the fastest growing sport in India. The Times Group is excited to bring The PWR DUPR India Masters, the first PWR700 event to the pickleball community. The PWR DUPR India Masters is the first pickleball tournament to be organised at such large scale in India with the participation of globally recognised players, iconic venue and live streaming of matches for viewers. This will further boost the player and fan engagement and drive many more players to make pickleball as a full-time career option. We at the Times Group are proud to be at the forefront of driving the pickleball growth in India and globally”

    The PWR DUPR India Masters will be live broadcast on Zoom and Mirror Now and streamed on Times Now (TimesNow.in), Pickleball Now (pickleballnow.in), You Tube channels @ZoomTV, and @ @SportsNowHindi. The live broadcast will start at 12 noon on 24 October and 25 October and at 3 pm on 26 October and 27 October.

  • Pickleball launches Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), PWR World Series & PWR World Tour

    Pickleball launches Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), PWR World Series & PWR World Tour

    Mumbai: Pickleball, widely regarded as the world’s fastest growing sport, has announced the launch of the new Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), the PWR World Series and the PWR World Tour. In a powerful evening of announcements for the sport, the GCC was also named as the region that will host the first PWR World Series in March 2025. This news is backed by Pickleball League Asia Pvt Ltd in partnership with The Times Group at a time when the sport is experiencing an unprecedented surge in popularity worldwide.

    PWR will bring together regional bodies under one unified structure to enhance sports governance and future longevity. The announcement was made by PWR, The Times Group, colleagues from international Pickleball bodies and some of the world’s top players, including women’s world number one on APP Tour, Megan Fudge DeHeart.

    PWR CEO and founder Pranav Kohli said: “Pickleball originated from relatively humble beginnings in the backyards of America in the sixties, and has now become one of the most exciting sports enjoyed by millions around the world. It is with great honour to be part of the creation of Pickleball World Rankings, PWR World Series and PWR World Tour and we are delighted to be the team taking Pickleball to the next level both on and off the court.”

    He continued, “We will be offering $15 million in prize money for the PWR World Tour and $1.5 million for the GCC stop PWR World Series. This is the highest prize money ever offered in the sport! It is my hope that existing stars and the champions of the future from the United States and all around the world can rise through the rankings and reach their full potential, all in front of millions of followers globally.”

    He concluded, “It is no coincidence that we selected the GCC as the location for this announcement and we are thrilled to confirm that our first PWR World Series – in a grand style will be hosted in the region. The ambition and visionary leadership within the region and the positive pace of societal change is in step with the growth of the sport and we are confident that the sport will enjoy a bright future here,”

    The Times Group MD Vineet Jain said: “The ‘Times Group is proud to be an anchor investor in PWR, a path breaking initiative that unifies the global pickleball community. Times Group is known for its innovation and its ability to be ahead of the curve in every one of its initiatives. We are happy that PWR is bringing the PWR Rankings, PWR tour and PWR World Series, and we really hope that this further accelerates growth of Pickleball globally. I personally believe that Pickleball will overtake Tennis in terms of participation in near future. PWR is a platform that will empower players from every corner of the globe to compete, excel, and showcase their talents on an international stage.”

    Pickleball is already a worldwide sensation, enjoyed by celebrity fans such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Taylor Swift. It is the fastest-growing sport in the USA and is now on its way to becoming the fastest-growing sport in the world.

  • Times Group enters new age sports – Pickleball

    Times Group enters new age sports – Pickleball

    Mumbai: Pickleball, which is billed as the fastest growing modern sport, will soon have a new superstar league- the Pickleball World Series. The Times Group –the news and entertainment leader in India — is partnering with Pickleball Asia to start this exciting new series on a global stage. The Pickleball World Series will start in the United States and travel across different continents with six major events in a year.  

    Pickleball –which has become a world-wide sensation in a very short period of time— is a fusion of tennis, table tennis and badminton. Its accessible gameplay has attracted enthusiasts of all age groups across the globe as well as sports stars and celebrities including champions from these three racquet sports,

    While there are several existing competitions and leagues in the US, the Pickleball World Series will be the first tournament with global ambitions and will also have a significantly enhanced entertainment quotient. In the first year, the Pickleball World Series will comprise of 64 players in the individual format and six teams comprising four players each, from the US and the rest of the world, including India – which is the rising hotspot for Pickleball.

    Times Group managing director Vineet Jain states: “Pickleball is gaining ground as the game for urban sports enthusiasts. Times Group is known for its innovation and ability to be ahead of the curve in every one of its initiatives and we hope that this effort to take the fastest growing modern sport to the next level will inspire its exponential growth all over the world including in India. I personally believe that in five to seven years, Pickleball will overtake Tennis in terms of participation.”

    Times Group CEO, New Media and Investments, N Subramanian added, “Rapidly accelerating participation and increasing fandom is driving the popularity of many innovative sports globally. That is the opportunity we spotted in Pickleball, an exciting sport that is being enjoyed by millions the world over. Powered by passion and fueled by competition, this fun and immersive sport has won over the hearts of Gen Z and Millennials, making it a natural choice for our partnership and an important addition to our portfolio of strong brands. The Pickleball World Series, our marquee event, will provide a unique platform to bring out the best in players and teams, for fans to enjoy and support their favourites, and for brands to engage and interact with these audiences.”

    Pickleball Asia Pranav Kohli  said, “The Pickleball player community is now 60 million strong worldwide and is growing steadily. We could not have found a better partner, anchor and investor than the Times Group –which brings us many positives that will swiftly move the needle of growth. That is a big gain for the sport and the Series.”

    Outlining details, he said, “Pickleball World Series will embody the spirit of the Pickleball community and aim to provide action-packed competition along with scintillating entertainment built around the game. Starting in the US, the Pickleball World Series will travel across different continents with six major events. The Series will be supported by Pickleball World Rankings, a one-of-a-kind ranking system that allows players to accumulate points and qualify for the Pickleball World Series. We expect this will enable Pickleball stars to rise from different corners of the world and not just from the US.”

  • Ex-Times Group chairman Ashok Jain honored as ‘Heroes of Mumbai’ by Maha govt

    Ex-Times Group chairman Ashok Jain honored as ‘Heroes of Mumbai’ by Maha govt

    Mumbai: Seventeen distinguished figures instrumental in Mumbai’s advancement were celebrated as their busts were revealed at Kilachand Garden in Girgaon, with BJP national president J P Nadda and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in attendance.

    Former Bennett, Coleman and Company Ltd (The Times Group)  chairman late Ashok Kumar Jain, was among the esteemed honorees. Times Group Managing Director Vineet Jain lauded the initiative aimed at celebrating icons who have shaped the financial and cultural capital of India. “It gives me immense pride to be standing here in the presence of such luminaries to acknowledge the recognition to my late father, Shri Ashok Jain. As Chairman of The Times of India Group, he had a great affinity and affection for Mumbai,” said Vineet Jain.

    The 17 ‘heroes of Mumbai’ include Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lata Mangeshkar, Dadasaheb Phalke, Homi Bhabha, JRD Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani, Sachin Tendulkar, and VD Savarkar among others.

    Recalling the rise and rise of The Times Group with its roots in Mumbai, Vineet Jain said: “The Times Group was not only headquartered here, but also initiated all its expansions—launching new newspapers and magazines—from here itself during his lifetime. And thus, Mumbai was at the heart of so much of what he did and worked towards, while establishing one of Asia’s largest media companies.”

    The idea was conceived by state cabinet minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha. “This initiative aims to honour influential figures by unveiling their busts and acknowledging their contributions to Mumbai’s progress in various facets, such as economic prosperity, safety, and cultural enrichment. The programme seeks to serve as an enduring source of inspiration for Mumbaikars,” said Lodha explaining the inspiration behind ‘heroes of Mumbai’ project.

    “On behalf of our entire family and the larger Times Group, I would like to thank the efforts of Lodha and the entire Maharashtra government for this singular honour to our late father,” said The Times Group the MD.

  • Filmfare spotlights Gujarat’s cinematic potential!

    Filmfare spotlights Gujarat’s cinematic potential!

    Mumbai: For over seven decades, Filmfare has been chronicling remarkable accomplishments and milestones of the Indian Film Industry. The platform continues to lead the way in honouring cinematic and artistic brilliance. For the 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards, which is scheduled to be held on January 2024, Filmfare takes the celebrations to the Vibrant State of Gujarat. One of the core objectives of this partnership seeks to establish Gujarat as a global centre for tourism, investment, and a thriving hub for cinematic production.

    The inaugural Filmmakers’ Round Table took place at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai on 11 October where the event served as a significant precursor to the Filmfare awards. Spearheaded by The Times Group managing director Vineet Jain, Filmfare played a pivotal role in fostering the growth of the Indian film industry. It achieved this by convening a distinguished panel of attendees.

    Leading this high-profile gathering was the Gujarat chief minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, who headed a high-powered delegation from the Gujarat Government. Accompanying him was the Tourism of Gujarat minister Mulubhai Bera, as well as other key policy makers and officials from the Government of Gujarat.

    The film & entertainment industry was well-represented, with prolific filmmakers such as Imtiaz Ali, Aanand L. Rai, Boney Kapoor, Om Raut, Mukesh Bhatt, R. Balki, Jayantilal Gada, Nitesh Tiwari, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Nikkhil Advani, Ramesh Taurani, Madhur Bhandarkar, Apoorva Mehta, Raj & DK, Harshavardhan Kulkarni, Venky Mysore, Aparna Purohit, Anand Pandit in attendance, among others. The session was deftly moderated by the actor Kubbra Sait, who skillfully guided in-depth discussions that shed light on Gujarat’s comprehensive support systems for filmmakers.

    The Round Table event underscored Gujarat’s unwavering commitment to becoming the ultimate destination for filmmaking and film production. This commitment is substantiated by their world-class infrastructure, enticing incentives, and a comprehensive cinematic policy.

    Patel commented, “Our collaboration with Filmfare signifies Gujarat’s vision to be at the forefront of cinematic excellence, and this Round Table is a significant milestone towards achieving that goal. We are committed to providing the necessary infrastructure, incentives, and support to ensure that Gujarat becomes a preferred destination for filmmakers from across the world.”

    Tourism of Gujarat minister Mulubhai Bera said, “Gujarat’s rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes have always been a source of inspiration for filmmakers. We are excited to partner with Filmfare to promote Gujarat as a thriving hub for cinematic productions. With a welcoming atmosphere, breath-taking locations, and robust support systems, Gujarat offers filmmakers a unique canvas to bring their artistic visions to life.”

    Jain commented, ” The Government of Gujarat has been unwavering in its dedication to offer filmmakers the necessary support, infrastructure, and policies. We are proud to be a facilitator in bringing together the entertainment industry and a canvas like Gujarat for painting their stories on.”

  • Future Group’s Vineet Jain joins V-Mart

    Future Group’s Vineet Jain joins V-Mart

    NEW DELHI: V-Mart Retail has brought in former CEO of Future Group Vineet Jain as the company’s new chief operating officer.

    Jain, an industry veteran who has seen the dawn of modern retail in India two decades ago, spent 17 years at Future group, where he spearheaded annual business over Rs 6000 crore. He led an 8000+ strong team of personnel and managed over 3 million square feet of retail area.

    V-Mart Retail CMD Lalit Agarwal said, "We are delighted to welcome Vineet to the V-Mart family. Vineet brings both depth and breadth of leadership and operational experience in the value retailing format, and a customer-centric approach that would help accelerate V-Mart’s growth and market leadership journey".

    A specialist in managing hypermarket / supermarket/ fashion businesses, Jain has also held leadership roles at reputed value retail formats including Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and FBB. A polyglot who is a CA From ICAI, CWA from ICWAI, CS(Inter) from ICSI, the new V-Mart COO is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and INSEAD, France in advanced management programs.

  • Time to have rules ensuring no one player dominates media: Smriti Irani

    Time to have rules ensuring no one player dominates media: Smriti Irani

    NEW DELHI: Minister for Information & Broadcasting Smriti Zubin Irani yesterday said that the time has come to put laws, ethics and rules into place that will help in balancing the media industry so that no one dominant player can rule the roost. She, however, did not elaborate what those parameters should or could be.

    Speaking at the 15th Asia Media Summit (AMS) 2018 yesterday, she, however, hinted at her version of what good content could be, throwing oblique references to the growing digital-spurred edgy content in Indian media, including television.

    Pointing out that India will have around 969 million internet users by 2021 and that the media industry looks upon the digital world “not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity”, Irani asked, “How do we attract, retain and develop talent, which frees good content from the trappings of revenue needs and brings about a balance in media institutions?” 

    She hoped that the media event would deliberate on ways to “delve and deliberate on Asia values”, and the need for good stories to be told.

    Dwelling on the need for regulations to ensure level playing field for all, the minister referred to an address made by media baron Vineet Jain, group MD of Times Group, before her at the media conference to drive home a point that present laws may be inadequate to deal with the changing landscape of the Indian media.

    Jain, during his address to the delegates at AMS 2018, had said, “But for Indian media to realise its full potential, regulatory reforms are needed across the board – to make it easier to do business, remove anomalies in the system, and above all, ensure a fair marketplace that benefits the consumer.”

    Carrying forward, Irani said the India media is getting more consumer-centric because of the opportunities (and challenges) that the digital ecosystem is offering stakeholders, apart from the overall evolution of the industry.

    Giving a perspective of the expanding Indian media industry, Irani said India was one of the fastest growing advertising market that is expected to touch $10.59 billion by the end of 2018, while the mobile spend was estimated to grow to $1.55 billion in the current year. “We have a vibrant media industry, which has a direct established impact of Rs 1.35 lakh crore and indirect and induced benefits of Rs 4.5 lakh crore, with close to 4 million people associated with it,” she added.

    The three-day 15th Asia Media Summit is being hosted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting jointly with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), and Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) in New Delhi. The theme of this year’s summit is ‘Telling Our Stories – Asia and More’, which would encourage regional and bilateral dialogue and cooperation to respond to challenges to the broadcasting sector in the region.

    The minster expressed hope that the event will throw up new ideas so that pathways to strengthen media institutions for a better mankind could be explored.

    Addressing the inaugural session, Minister of Information from Bangladesh Hasanul Haq Inu outlined six complex challenges the world faces today: poverty, gender disparity, terrorism, ICT revolution, climate change and uneven globalisation. Expressing concern at cybercrimes, he stressed upon the need to fight a war against cyber-criminals to keep the media safe and expanding.

    This is the first time that the Asia Media Summit is being held in India. Over 220 foreign delegates representing 39 countries (SAARC, ASEAN, East Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, Syria, Uzbekistan, USA, China) and senior officials of the government and members of Indian media industry are participating in the event.

    Also Read:

    MIB moves to regulate online media: various organisations join issue   

    Online media professionals write to Smriti Irani expressing regulation concerns

    TRAI seeks to regulate online streaming platforms

  • Rajnish Rikhy joins BCCL as director of response

    Rajnish Rikhy joins BCCL as director of response

    MUMBAI: Rajnish Rikhy has moved to Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd (Times Group) as the director of response. He will handle all the metros and various other verticals of the business.

    Prior to this, he was the chief revenue officer of the Hindi channels (Aaj Tak, Delhi Aaj Tak and Tej) cluster. Before joining TV Today Network, Rikhy served at BCCL New Delhi as vice president(R). He had previously worked with BCCL in the response function for a period of 16 years, from October 1988 to June 2004.

    It is also reported that BCCL has elevated S Sivakumar to a new role as president of revenue. He will report to the CEO of BCCL. In his new role, Sivakumar will be responsible for both response and brand capital functions.

    “During his long tenure at BCCL, Siva has displayed stellar leadership in his various roles and brings a wealth of experience and professional accomplishments which can propel our key revenue functions like response and brand capital to the next level,” BCCL managing director Vineet Jain said in an internal note to the employees.

    Rikhy will be based out of Times House, Delhi, and will report to Sivakumar.