GECs
Wipro to set up digital TV middleware facility in Kochi
MUMBAI: Information technology major Wipro Ltd. is giving its consumer electronics business a serious push. The company announced today it would invest Rs 2.15 billion in the first phase to create a new facility at the Infopark in Kakkanad near Kochi to develop `ISDB-T (terrestrial standard), the software required for digital video broadcasting.
Coming up on a 25-acre campus, the consumer electronics Centre of Excellence (CoE) facility will concentrate on manufacturing digital TV middleware components to cater to the Japanese market.
Wipro will also licence the software to customers. The company will conduct field trials for this technology in Japan.
Wipro is erecting a new seven-storey building on a 10-lakh sq ft. area to house the unit. On completion in 2008, the facility will create 8000 employment opportunities. The first phase of the facility will be operational in a year and accommodate 2000 employees.
The company expects that the Kochi unit, once operational, would account for exports worth $500 million to $600 million.
Wipro, which has relocated 35 per cent of its consumer electronics team from Bangalore to Kochi, will also shift its staff from other centres in India. The company will also provide employment opportunities to local people from Kerala.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
