MAM
Indian Navy team third in Hong Kong Challenge finals
From Mumbai to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong AXN Challenge, organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and AXN, moved to the Chinese territory for the grande finale. The winning pair from the Indian leg of the Challenge, comprising Commander Siddarth Panda and Seaman Vijay Dahiya of the Indian Navy, kept the Indian flag flying by securing an overall third placing in the international category finals held on 20 April.
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“Team India” came in third after first-placed Team Hong Kong and fellow seamen from Thailand, who came in second. Teams from Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines placed 4th, 5th and 6th respectively, an official release states.
Cdr Panda and Seaman Dahiya did manage a first though. That was in the City Dares Challenge – a race that swept through urban and rural Hong Kong.
Despite being the oldest participant in the international category, 40-year-old Cdr Panda and his teammate showed true grit in the seven-hour race which involved swimming, abseiling, kayaking, canoeing and canyoneering through Hong Kong’s thickets. Held in the spirit of Eco-Challenge, the grueling adventure race that has now become known as the Olympics of Expedition Racing, the teams were told of their challenges and routes only during the race.
Brands
ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
