News Broadcasting
‘Ek Mahal Ho Sapano Ka’ crosses 900-episode mark
Ek Mahal Ho Sapano Ka, the precursor to the tide of saas-bahu sagas that swept Indian television in the last two years, has just crossed the 900 episode milestone on Sony.
A product from the Shobhna Desai Productions stable, the original nightly soap that follows the happinesses and tragedies of a Gujarati joint family, Ek Mahal… claims to be the longest running soap on Indian satellite television. It still has some way to go though if it wants to catch up with the Marathi series Damini which completed 1,000 episodes on DD Sahyadri on 16 May.
Produced by Shobhna Desai, directed by Vipul Shah and scripted by Aatish Kapadia, Ek Mahal… is a bilingual serial, the Gujarati version – Sapana Na Vavetar – ran on DD Gujarati.
Ek Mahal… started its run on Sony in 1998, according to an official release. The serial, claims the release, commands a wide Indian audience in the UK and USA and has been a launch pad for more than 200 Gujarati theatre artists thus far.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
