News Broadcasting
News18 Network’s ‘Rising India’ summit celebrate India and honour real-life heroes
Mumbai: News18 Network has partnered with Poonawalla Fincorp Ltd, a Cyrus Poonawalla group promoted NBFC, for the upcoming third edition of its marquee leadership conclave – Rising India Summit 2023. The third edition of the two-day conclave will be held on 29-30 March at Taj Palace, New Delhi. The summit will convene esteemed leaders from central government and various sectors such as, arts, sports, business, and academia, both from India and around the world. It has been conceptualised to create an engaging forum for these leaders to deliberate in productive discussions, share their knowledge, and provide valuable perspectives on how to continue advancing India’s progress.
Themed ‘The Heroes of Rising India’, the summit illuminates the exceptional accomplishments of Indians, who go beyond the ordinary to propel India’s growth trajectory. This year, the summit will celebrate the remarkable achievements of ‘Ordinary People’ who have made an ‘Extraordinary Social Impact’. The mega-event will acknowledge 20 such heroes, who have designed innovative solutions that are making a difference at the grassroot level and launched social entrepreneurship ventures with the potential to transform lives, initiate community-led programs that are bringing positive change in various ways, and demonstrated acts of compassion and courage that are contributing towards making India a better place.
The event will be graced by Honourable Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who will deliver the keynote address. Minister of External Affairs of India, S. Jayashankar, will also share his insights on ‘India’s G20 Moment.’ Esteemed leaders from various sectors, including governance, arts, business, and academia, both from India and around the world, will participate in productive discussions and share their knowledge and perspectives on how to continue advancing India’s progress. These discussions will cover a range of topics, such as ‘India Stack: Highway To Growth’, where Dilip Asbe (NPCI), Shashank Kumar (Co- Founder & CEO, DeHaat), B.V.R. Subrahmanyam (CEO, Niti Aayog), and K. Rajaraman (Secretary, DoT) will offer their valuable opinions.
Corporate leaders like Vivek Tyagi (Chairperson of India Electronics and Semiconductor Association); Srinath Ravichandran (AgniCool Cosmos); Aman Gupta (BOAT); Tarun Mehta (Ather); and Abhay Bhutada (Poonawalla Fincorp) will be seen sharing their thoughts on the topic ‘Made in India rising aspirations of young India’. Moreover, there will be another session on ‘Women’s Era’ featuring Rakulpreet Singh; Shilpa Rao; and Vinita Singh (Sugar Cosmetics) along with Smriti Irani. Adar Poonawala (Serum); Salil Gupte (Boeing); Sunil Vachani (Dixon); Sanjeev Sharma (ABB); and Santosh Iyer (Mercedes-Benz) will be on the panel titled ‘India’s Manufacturing Moment: Now or Never.’ Additionally, Bollywood icons like Siddhartha Anand; Ayan Mukherjee; Kajal Agarwal; Mrunal Thakur will be on the panel titled- ‘One India – One Cinema’ along with Anurag Thakur. World Boxing Championship gold medallist- Nikhat Zareen and Oscar winner Guneet Monga too will be gracing the summit.
The partnership underscores Poonawalla Fincorp’s commitment to empower individuals who are driven by their passion, principles, purpose, and potential to make significant contributions towards India’s growth story.
Poonawalla Fincorp managing director Abhay Bhutada said, “At Poonawalla Fincorp, we are delighted to partner with Network18 for the Rising India Summit 2023, a platform that celebrates the extraordinary achievements of ordinary people who are driving India’s growth story forward. Our association is built on a shared goal to empower individuals to realize their dreams and aspirations. By bringing together policy makers, global visionaries, and corporate leaders, this summit will facilitate a constructive dialogue on India’s progress and its potential to become a global powerhouse. We are excited to contribute to this vision and to work together towards building a stronger, more prosperous India.”
Network18 CEO Avinash Kaul commented, “News18 Network is a proud chronicler of India’s rise as a prosperous nation. We engage with 69 crore+ Indians every month with news and conversations that can help show the way to a brighter future. News18’s flagship initiative Rising India has established itself as one of most anticipated thought leadership forums in India. It is my privilege to announce that this year, Rising India will be even more special. We will celebrate 20 unsung Indians from various disciplines who work selflessly to improve the lives of people around them. We are calling them ‘Real Heroes’. I am delighted that Poonawalla Fincorp is partnering with us for this initiative. I am excited that our viewers will witness the journey of some amazing Indians and hear from some of the top leaders in politics, industry, entertainment, and sports.”
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News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
