GECs
Viacom18’s Soumen Ray joins Bajaj Auto as CFO
MUMBAI: Viacom18 CFO Soumen Ray who joined the organisation as the deputy CFO in 2013 has recently joined Bajaj Auto as the president finance and CFO designate in August 2018.
Ray commenced his journey with Viacom18 during the year 2013 and donned the hat as the deputy CFO, CFO and chief finance and strategy officer. Coming from the B Com background from Kolkata’s St. Xavier’s college, he initiated his career by joining Eveready Industries India Ltd in 1998 as manager-finance.
He also has other laurels to boast of. He qualified as a chartered accountant, made a move at ITC as the commercial manager after a successful stint for about five years at Eveready Industries. Ray then joined Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) as the general manager finance after serving the company for about three years in his previous company. He served for about five years at HUL and then joined Viacom18 as the deputy CFO in 2013.
As per the reports, he will work closely with Kevin Pius D’Sa and is expected to succeed as the president (finance) after D’Sa’s retirement. He will also be a part of Bajaj Auto’s senior leadership team.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
