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FremantleMedia appoints Aradhana Bhola as India MD
MUMBAI: FremantleMedia has announced the appointment of Aradhana Bhola to the role of the managing director at FremantleMedia India.
Based in Mumbai, Aradhana will head up the company’s Indian business, reporting in to Ian Hogg, FremantleMedia’s Regional Chief Executive Officer, Australia & Asia Pacific. As Managing Director, Aradhana will be responsible for managing all development and production operations in India and leveraging relationships with broadcast and digital partners throughout the country. The appointment will be effective immediately.
Announcing the appointment, Ian Hogg, said: “Aradhana is a class act, she’s creative, energetic and driven. Aradhana’s experience and understanding of the Indian market means she is the ideal candidate to build on the great successes FremantleMedia has already enjoyed in the region while unlocking the many exciting creative and commercial opportunities it presents.”
On her appointment, Aradhana Bhola said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to spearhead the India operations at FremantleMedia. This challenge is very exciting, given the complexity and diversity of the Indian content market. In my new role, I hope to push the team’s creative and innovative vision to new heights.”
Aradhana joined FremantleMedia India in 2012 as Creative Director and was promoted to Head of Content in 2015. During her time with the company she has overseen production on titles including India’s Got Talent (Colors), Indian Idol (Sony), Covershot (National Geographic Channel), Angels of Rock (MTV) and Amra Na Ora (Star Jalsha). Prior to joining the business, Aradhana was VP Programming at Star Plus and Head of Programming at Zoom.
FremantleMedia India first opened its office in 2009 and has since ranked amongst the leaders in television content in the region. The company has produced tentpole programmes such as Indian Idol and India’s Got Talent, which continue to attract record audiences. The seventh season of Indian Idol premiered to over 9 million viewers, doubling Sony TV’s primetime average. The most recent series of India’s Got Talent peaked at 9.7 million viewers, delivered an audience 55% higher than Color’s primetime average and reached an impressive 230 million viewers across the season.
In 2016, FremantleMedia India produced its first web series, Confessions – It’s Complicated, which launched exclusively on Facebook. The online series amassed an incredible 40 million hits across the series and 11.5 million views. There were also 70,000 innovative live audience interactions with the cast. A second season is now in development.
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.
