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Shemaroo expands Prasanna Patil’s role to head of global telecom business
Mumbai: Shemaroo Entertainment has expanded the role of Prasanna Patil from handling domestic telecom business to head of global telecom business. Outside of India, Shemaroo is entrenched in markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East among others.
“Shemaroo is looking to expand its presence in international markets through strategic partnerships with leading global telecom operators, ISPs, and OEMs,” said the company in a statement. “Shemaroo will not only look for last mile access through B2B2C partnerships but will also widen the reach and visibility in these territories. It will specially focus on ShemarooMe OTT to expand further with telco as well as non-telco partnerships in the international market.”
Patil has an experience of two decades in the telecom industry in the content and revenue domain.
“Partnerships with Global telecom businesses is an important pillar of growth for us,” said Shemaroo Entertainment COO Kranti Gada. “With Prasanna’s proven track record of devising effective strategies for augmenting business, identifying and penetrating newer regions with a keen focus on content, I am confident that we will be able to become an entrenched player on the global stage.”
“I am excited to take up this new role and steer the company’s growth plans globally,” said Prasanna Patil. “Shemaroo has a strong brand lineage and a robust content repository that caters to the evolving taste of consumers. The last couple of years have shown the consumer’s insatiable appetite for Indian content and I am sure that through our content offering, we can tap into newer audiences who are looking for authentic Indian content globally.”
Shemaroo is present in 14 countries with more than 23 international telecom operators. Etisalat and Du in UAE, Celcom and Digi Telecommunications in Malaysia, and Ooredoo in Qatar are some of the major existing telecom partners worldwide.
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.
