MAM
Anant Swarup joins FICCI as secretary general
The 1992-batch IRS officer brings three decades of trade, logistics and WTO experience to India’s most powerful industry body
NEW DELHI: FICCI has a new voice in the room. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry has appointed Anant Swarup as secretary general, effective 14th April, slotting a seasoned bureaucrat into one of Indian industry’s most influential perches.
Swarup is not a man short of credentials. Over three decades in public service, he has served as additional secretary in the Department of Commerce, director general of trade remedies, executive director to the union minister of railways, and first secretary representing India at the World Trade Organization in Geneva. A 1992-batch Indian Railway Personnel Service officer, he has since moved through the private sector before landing at FICCI.
His academic armour is equally well-stocked: a master’s certificate in sustainable infrastructure and finance, an MBA, an LLB, and an MSc and BSc in zoology. A man who has studied animals and trade remedies in equal measure is perhaps well-suited to navigating Indian industry.
Jyoti Vij continues in her role as director general, keeping the institutional scaffolding firmly in place.
With global trade tensions rising and Indian industry clamouring for sharper policy bandwidth, FICCI has picked a man who has sat across the table from the world’s toughest trade negotiators. Swarup knows the game. Now he gets to play it from the other side.
MAM
Prime Video renews Young Sherlock for second season
Guy Ritchie to direct opening episode as hit origin series returns after strong global debut.
MUMBAI: The game is afoot once more and this time, young Sherlock is already one step ahead of cancellation. Prime Video has officially renewed the irreverent, action-packed mystery Young Sherlock for a second season, with visionary director Guy Ritchie returning to helm the first episode. Starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a youthful, defiant Sherlock Holmes, the series delivers a fresh, dangerous twist on the world’s greatest detective’s origin story.
All eight episodes of Season One, which premiered earlier this year, remain available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. The show has proven to be no mere deduction, in its first 28 days, it reached 45 million viewers worldwide, landing in the streamer’s all-time top 10 for Prime Original seasons. It claimed the number one spot in over 95 countries, with 63 per cent of its audience coming from international markets and particularly strong showings in the UK, India, and Germany.
The Season One trailer smashed records too, racking up 223 million views in its first seven days, the most-watched series trailer ever for Prime Video in that timeframe. Critics were equally impressed: Season One earned Certified Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers hailing it as “sensational” (Variety), a “masterpiece” (Screen Rant), and “stunning” (The Wrap).
Amazon MGM Studios head of global television Peter Friedlander said the series has that rare magic, “Millions of fans around the world aren’t just watching a detective story, they’re falling in love with the origin of an icon. Guy Ritchie and Matthew Parkhill have cracked the code on making Sherlock’s early years feel fresh, dangerous, and utterly addictive.”
In Season One, a charismatic young Sherlock crosses paths with a compelling new take on James Moriarty (played by Dónal Finn) and is pulled into his first-ever case, a globe-trotting conspiracy involving murder, anarchy, and an explosive showdown that shapes his future. The story unfolds across vibrant Victorian England and adventures abroad, capturing the anarchic spirit of the adolescent who would one day become Baker Street’s legendary resident.
The ensemble cast also features Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, Colin Firth, and Zine Tseng.
Created for television and showrun by Matthew Parkhill, the series boasts an impressive producing team including Guy Ritchie as executive producer. Motive Pictures handled physical production.
With its breezy blend of wit, high-octane action, and clever reimagining of a beloved icon, Young Sherlock has struck a chord across generations and borders. Now, as the detective’s next chapter beckons, fans can expect more globe-trotting intrigue, sharper deductions, and that signature Ritchie flair. Elementary? Perhaps. Addictively entertaining? Most definitely. The sleuthing continues.
