News Broadcasting
Balaji results reflect company’s healthy growth
MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms continued its prosperous streak with a net profit of Rs 126.8 million for Q1 2002-3. This marks a 157 per cent increase over profits of Rs 49.4 million announced for the same period last year.
The company’s net sales moved up to Rs 397.7 million from Rs 236.6 million for Q1 2001-2, marking a growth of 21 per cent on the back of increase in programming hours and higher realizations per hour.
Balaji’s fresh programming hours increased from 355.50 in Q4FY02 to 391.50 in Q1FY03, a sequential growth of 10.13 per cent. Balaji’s ratio of Hindi to regional programming has also undergone a slight change over the last quarter. While Hindi programming has gone up to 261.5 hours from 221 hours in Q4FY02, regional programming hours have gone down marginally to 130 hours from 134.5 hours in Q4FY02. The company charged depreciation on sets and studios at a rate higher than that prescribed under Companies Act, resulting in profit for the quarter being lower by Rs. 5.83 million.
The company also announced that it had revised rates for Kkusum and Kutumb Sony Entertainment’s hit shows; a daily soap is scheduled to start soon on Sahara as are a weekend thriller series on Sony and another weekly show on Star.
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.
