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Veteran journo Rohit Gandhi sets up news platform for independent reporters
MUMBAI: When you have the credentials of having worked for CNN and CBC as an international journalist for several years, what do you do next? Well, you could start a news platform with a difference. Just like Rohit Gandhi has done by incorporating Global Live, which has set up Democracy News Live.
The network is owned by Gandhi and Vrinda Aggarwal, who was working with him in WION.
Says Gandhi who has designated himself as editor in chief, “Journalism channels have become partisan with political parties and are already sold to ideologies. It is difficult for an honest centre of the line editor to operate. Judges of courts are being questioned for their leanings. The environment is ripe to democratise journalism a bit more.”
His model, that of democratisation of news, is to allow hard working field reporters who make the news to become owners of a news platform. “They can publish the content and own it for life,” says Gandhi. “We even have a monetisation model in place.”
For now, the duo has invested about $400,000 and once it hits a certain benchmark, they will seek the second funding round.
Of course not anyone will be able to post news content. They will have to get past credentials and identification verification before getting the green signal to post their news videos, articles and pictures. A robust content management system and video platform will allow hacks to edit video on the cloud without having editing skillsets that FCP or Premier Pro require. Of course anyone violating journalistic ethics or resorting to plagiarism or fake news will get booted out of the news platform without any warning.
Artificial intelligence which has been built into the technology backend will make managing, search, and discovery so much easier for both journos and visitors.
A team of 23 tech specialists and editors have been at it, building the backend and CMS since 1 February 2017 when Gandhi left the Essel Group owned Indian English news channel WION to start his venture. He says he consciously stayed away from corporate or political funding, instead choosing to attract investment from a group of 20 private investors.
He explains: “The whole idea is to make sure that we don’t have influence of either a corporation or a political party. The professionals – from technology and journalism who came together to forge this alliance – found the idea so potent, that they not only invested but also helped in building the platform.”
Over the past few months, Democracy News Live has been building news content on its Youtube channel, though not much of it had been put out at the time of writing. It has set up a news studio in New Delhi and has even put reporters through training and the paces of anchoring.
And while Gandhi agrees television remains the best medium for disseminating news and information even today thanks to the wide distribution infrastructure that’s available, he still preferred to go online for a few reasons.
He elaborates: “While I am not against a news channel, I wanted to start out by putting out phenomenal content online. Then only after that do I want to think about going in for a linear feed when it reaches an inflection point. Our content could go out on radio, TV, online and even on 4K as it is being shot even on that format. With that kind of quality it can even and up on television.”
Gandhi is not worried about the business model as he believes advertisers follow audiences who follow great content. However, he cautions that he is not going to base the news content on Democracy News Live on advertisers’ needs. “We will have advertisers in due course,” he says. “But our editorial integrity and independence will be maintained.”
The Android and iOS app launches are planned for the coming week. They will have logins for reporters to file their stories and for readers to read.
Gandhi is planning to market the platform through the co-owners who will work with them.
He has the credentials to match his vision for Democracy News Live. At WION he was editor in chief and he left it after just a year of helping build it up from ground up. And in 2006, he was the reporter who broke the story about the terrorist group that was behind the 2006 Mumbai train bombings. Those will be put to the test as Democracy News Live begins to gain traction.
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Rohit Gandhi quits ZMCL’s WION
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.
