News Broadcasting
Viacom 18’s Jyoti Deshpande appointed as co-chair of FICCI media & entertainment board
Mumbai: FICCI on Monday announced the appointment of Viacom 18 Media CEO Jyoti Deshpande as the co-chair of the FICCI media and entertainment board. This is the first time that a woman executive from the media industry has been appointed as one of the office bearers of this very important vertical.
Deshpande is an industry veteran with over 29 years of experience across the country’s foremost media and entertainment companies. She pioneered Eros’ early entry into the OTT space (through Eros Now) and established Jio Studios as a key player in the entertainment value chain. She is currently serving as the CEO of Viacom18, making her the first woman to lead a big-four media and entertainment company.
She has featured among Fortune India as well as Business Today’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business lists, both of which celebrate the journeys and triumphs of women who not only impact their organisation but are also thought leaders in their industry.
“FICCI has always been at the forefront of collaborating with various stakeholders across Indian commerce and the government to effect meaningful policy discussions and adoption,” commented FICCI director general Arun Chawla. “Given the very dynamic nature of the media and entertainment industry, this engagement is crucial for the development of the sector and the allied ecosystems. Jyoti’s experience across the value chain of this industry makes her an apt choice to lead the Committee’s holistic advisory agenda. I look forward to working with her.”
“I feel truly fortunate to be part of an industry that is at the cusp of phenomenal growth, straddling traditional theatres to the metaverse and everything in between like television and OTT,” said Jyoti Deshpande. “I look forward to working with industry captains, custodians of brands that fuel consumption in our economy and the government as we look to leverage the confluence of technology, content and distribution to move the needle rapidly towards the $100 billion industry that we have been aspiring to be for a number of years now.”
“The M&E industry can very much be a true embodiment of the ‘Make in India and Show the World’ mantra and I thank Sanjiv Mehta and FICCI for offering me this platform to meaningfully collaborate on shaping the future of an industry that I have invested my whole life in and am very passionate about,” she further said.
FICCI media and entertainment board drives the media and entertainment committee. It counts promoters and CEOs of the media and entertainment industry across verticals like TV and radio broadcast, film production and exhibition, print, animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, AR/VR/MR (AVGC-XR), entertainment events, OOH etc. It remains at the forefront for policy changes towards the growth and development of the media and entertainment industry in India.
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.
