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SVG announces Indian advisory board to drive production innovation
NEW YORK: India’s sports production scene just got its own dream team. The Sports Video Group has launched an advisory board for its Indian operations, tapping Prashant Khanna, head of production services and technology for sports at JioStar, to lead a powerhouse lineup from across the industry.
The move comes as India’s appetite for sports content reaches fever pitch, with production technology and fan engagement evolving at breakneck speed. The SVG India Summit has become the country’s premier gathering for sports production professionals over the past two years, and the new board aims to push things further still.
“At a time when technology, production, and storytelling are converging faster than ever, SVG India provides a powerful platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing,” says Khanna, a technologist and mentor with over 20 years shaping sports media. Known as PK to most, he has worked everywhere from News Corp and Disney Star to his current role at JioStar.
The board reads like a who’s who of Indian sports and media technology. Mukund Acharya, chief at Sony Pictures Networks India, engineered high-stakes streaming for ICC World Cups. Kingshuk Bhattacharya, head of broadcast operations at Sony, is a Distinguished Engineer who set up the network’s live sports production facility. Chaitanya Chinchlikar of Whistling Woods International became the first Indian film educator invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Others include Jay Chauhan, head of global media and entertainment competency at Tech Mahindra; Mustafa Ghouse, general partner at Centre Court Capital, India’s first sports and gaming venture fund; Rajat Nigam, chief technology officer at JioStar; and Mallika Petkar, head of acquisitions and distribution for sports at JioStar, who has handled rights for the IPL, Olympics and FIFA.
Google Cloud’s Sameer Pitalwalla, head of gaming for Asia-Pacific, joins alongside Bharath Ram, chief product officer at JioHotstar, and Ajesh Ramachandran, senior manager for broadcast at the International Cricket Council, who pioneered cricket’s first vertical feed for mobile phones. Krithika Raman, vice-president of product engineering at Comcast India, Dinesh Singh, group chief technology officer at NDTV, and Satyam Trivedi, chief executive of GMR Sports, round out the roster.
Ken Kerschbaumer, co-executive director of SVG, says India brings together a passion for sports, technology and production that is unique in scale and innovation. The nation is home to some of the planet’s most powerful sports leagues and federations, not to mention hundreds of millions of obsessive fans glued to every delivery, every goal, every replay.
With this board in place, expect India’s sports production ecosystem to shift up several gears. The conversations happening here will shape how sport is produced, distributed and experienced by fans. And if this lineup is anything to go by, the future looks fast, loud and utterly unmissable.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
