News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 #HelpAshmita Campaign
MUMBAI: In the aftermath of India’s performance at the Rio Olympics, the discussion across the country turned to what needs to be done in order to improve the country’s ranking at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Against this backdrop, CNN-News18 took the lead not only in terms of coming up with a unique charter for improving our performance at the next Olympics but even took up the cause of a young talented gymnast Ashmita Pal who dreams of representing and winning laurels for the country.
On the first day of the campaign itself, the channel has raised over Rs. 3 lakhs and the contributions are still pouring in. Responding to the initiative, a leading Public Sector company announced an immediate grant of Rs. 2 lakhs and a monthly scholarship of Rs. 20,000 per month for the next two years for the athlete. Shahid Chowdhury, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Tripura also backed the CNN-News18 campaign.
The channel, in partnership with Bitgiving, is aiming to raise Rs. 10 lakhs in order to get proper facilities for gymnastics training for Ashmita through their campaign #HelpAshmita who hopes to win an Olympics Gold.
Earlier this month, young Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar scripted history as she entered the final of the Vault event at the Rio Olympics. Her feat will not only serve as an inspiration for upcoming sportspersons like 15-year-old Ashmita Pal but has also given them the courage to chase their dreams.
Endorsed by Dipa Karmakar, Ashmita has represented India at the World School Gymnastics in Turkey this July. Hailing from Agartala, her father is a daily wage earner and her mother is a domestic help. For her, meeting basic nutrition needs is a struggle, let alone the diet required by an athlete. But defying all odds, Ashmita fought her way into the national team. She is now training under Soma Nandy, wife of Dipa Karmakar’s coach.
For the CNN-News18 team, this campaign is a manifestation of the channel’s commitment and thought leadership in picking up issues that the country feels strongly about and making a difference on the ground.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
