News Broadcasting
The Hero Hockey Junior World Cup to showcase the hottest young talent our sport has to offer: Leandro Negre
MUMBAI: The president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Leandro Negre feels the Hero Hockey Junior World Cup is the perfect platform for the most talented young players in the world to make a name for themselves and also leave a big impression on those who are watching in the stands or following the action on television or on the live stream.
He says, “Of course, if India were to win the tournament the impact would be huge, but with so many great hockey nations competing it is really difficult to predict who will lift the trophy.”
The fact that the event is being hosted in India is an added bonus for Leandro as he is extremely fond of India, not just in terms of a Hockey destination but also as a country. “I am really looking forward to visiting the country again. I love everything about coming to India, I am always made to feel extremely welcome here. Hockey events in India are always very special, and the atmosphere when the home team are in action is something that has to be seen to be believed. It is a real privilege to experience it.”
Talking about Indian Hockey, he feels India holds a very special place in world hockey and there is abundant talent in the country to become a world class side
Speaking on the topic of India’s promising young brigade making the transition from junior to senior hockey he said, “India has always been strong at the junior level. However, it is not always easy to make the transition from junior to senior hockey. This is not something which is unique to India but applies to every hockey playing nation in the world. That said, the India men’s team is very talented and looks to have a fine crop of young talent coming through the ranks. I think it’s really important that India gets behind the team during the Hero Junior World Cup as fan support can really make a big difference. The future looks bright for Indian hockey.”
Leandro believes that currently hockey is going through a very exciting phase globally. The development of complementary formats such as Hockey 5s – a faster, higher scoring, action packed format played between teams of only five players – are particularly attractive to youth and non-traditional hockey audiences. As a part of it’s new strategy, the FIH is keen to entertain and inspire a global movement of hockey fans and players, by attracting more people to play, support and love the game of hockey.
To Leandro, the success of the first edition of the Hero Hockey India League is a step in the right direction to grow the game, and he is greatly looking forward to seeing it return in 2014. “It is the kind of event that hockey needs, a professional tournament that shines a light on hockey’s superstars and appeals to fans all around the world. It has had a significant impact on the worldwide exposure of the game.”
But before HHIL, India will also play host to the Hero Hockey World League Finals in January next year. So whichever way one looks at it, there is a lot of Live action hockey in store for fans in India in the coming months, and many more occasions for Mr. Leandro Negre to visit a country that is almost like a second home to him.
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
