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BBC bows to border tension, puts off ‘Commando’ premiere
BBC has indefinitely postponed the telecast of its innovative reality show Commando, which was to debut on the channel in the first week of January.
The channel apparently feels the show is not in sync with the current tense atmosphere in the country, with war clouds looming low over the Indo-Pak border. Media reports quoting BBC World commissioning editor (Regions) Narendhra Morar say that the change in programming is in light of the current situation. “BBC World feels it inappropriate to telecast Commando at this point of time,” he has been quoted as saying. The show was to have given viewers a unique access to the Indian army, although some details of the training have been deleted due to security reasons.
Commando was conceived as a fly on the wall 13-part docudrama, covering the six-week commando-training course at the Commando Training School in Belgaum, Karnataka, considered one of the toughest in the world. Commando was pitched to be much more real than programmes like Survivor and Temptation Island, which are more like game shows where a bunch of people are placed in a certain peculiar situation.
Morar had earlier described Commando as an “observatory series” where one can see junior officers trying their best to clear the grueling course so as to gain the coveted title of commando. The commando-training programme, spanning from 11 September to 20 October 2001, had been captured by the camera without any interference into the training.
The documentary follows the experiences of two pairs of officers – Captain Sanjay Singh Routela with his ‘buddy’ Rajith Unni and Lieutenant Dilip Jha with his buddy Lt Vivek Maudgil, who were among the 60 Army officers who took the course. Of the two protagonists, 24-year-old Capt Routela hails from a family of Army officers; he is a fourth-generation Army officer and has the distinction of having fought in the Kargil conflict in 1999. Twenty-three-year-old Lt Jha on the other hand is posted at a forward base on the Indo-Pak border.
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.
