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Rathikant Basu: A bureaucrat who pushed boundaries
Mumbai: He loved the high life. A career bureaucrat from the Indian Administrative Services, Rathikant Basu, shifted from the civil services to a private sector corporate job as head of Star TV India (yes, the same Disney Star TV India which has today been subsumed in the Big A’s Reliance Industries) in the late nineties.
He had impressed Rupert Murdoch (who was then the owner of Star TV India) with the work he had done for Doordarshan when he, along with information and broadcasting secretary Bhaskar Ghose, privatised the news bulletins on the state-owned channel by handing production to the Prannoy Roy-owned NDTV.
Additionally, he had also faced the influx of private general entertainment channels, Zee TV, Sony Entertainment, ATN, Star Plus (a hotch-potch of Chinese language and international programmes) -head on in the early and mid-nineties.
He injected freshness into DD programming by inviting private producers to churn out popular shows on its buzzing with entertainment spinoff called DD Metro. This was at a time when Zee TV had revolutionized TV consumption with its dose of Anchor Ek Minute, Saregama, Antakshari, shows which struck a chord with starved-for-entertainment Indian viewers.
Suddenly, DD which seemed to be losing its hold on the media planner and buyer trade, got it back, thanks to the spurt in ratings.
And that is what had enamored Murdoch about Mr Basu – as he addressed him – and he hired him as the CEO. Former Star TV India CEO Peter Mukerjea had a moniker for him – he simply called him Rodney. Says he in his book Star Struck – Confessions of a TV executive: “..it was a friendlier and more informal way of referring to him than Mr Basu, which sounded very much more like a school headmaster. .He himself was an excellent thinker, super bright and also exceptionally amiable – clearly a highly talented individual.”
Peter then talks about Mr Basu’s sojourn at Star India when the latter thankfully failed in his bid to transform its biz model to a slot-fee-air time model just like DD used to operate. He then talks about other failed forays of Star India into the DTH business with the government getting wind of it and disallowing it without it jumping through regulatory hoops. Basu’s attempt at localizing the foreign and English language shows like Baywatch, The Bold and the Beautiful into Hindi led to Star Plus becoming a laughing stock. His efforts at playing out reruns of shows such as Chandrakanta and Saans also flopped miserably. And led to confusion amongst advertisers who deserted it.
What he was certainly successful at, was in the setting up of the lobbying group the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), which he did as a knee jerk reaction to the government raising the red flag on the Star India DTH service ISkyB. He also did a great job in launching the first private satellite news channel in India under the brand Star News in partnership with Prannoy Roy’s NDTV, with whom he had a prior and also good working relationship since his days at DD
The confusion about Star Plus’ identity and Basu’s hiring of former government personnel led to a period of some chaos in amongst content producers and advertisers which then forced Murdoch’s hand and led to his being elevated as non-executive chairman with Peter becoming CEO.
What also worked against Mr Basu as CEO of Star TV India was some envy from his peers in government service who saw him as a turncoat, thus retarding the network’s progress in India.
Not one to be put down, Basu, after the completion of his contract at Star India launched channels under the brand Tara (a takeoff on Star India), which he continued to run for more than a decade and a half. Not very profitably. But ran them he did. Until he discovered he was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.
Basu, on his part, also knew how to give back. He had kindly consented to be on indiantelevision.com’s The Indian Telly Awards jury for at least a couple of years. Far from being just a serious former bureaucrat, he cracked a few jokes and he chortled. Yes, he did – an antithesis to the strict and sombre exterior he normally presented to the media.
The industry veteran passed away on 17 March 2024, following a harrowing descent while grappling with the mind-robbing ailment. He was just nine days short of completing his eighty-second birthday.
Says Peter in his book: “Rodney was never a bad chap, on the contrary he was rather fun to be with. Alongside his intelligence, I admired so many aspects of his admittedly quirky personality. As a boss, he had always been very civil with me and I, in turn, gave him due regard and respect. There was no doubt in my mind he was a gentleman.”
May the gentleman RIP.
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.
