MAM
‘You packed my parachute’: Avinash Kaul’s farewell salutes Network18’s unsung thousands
The outgoing chief’s LinkedIn post skips the boardroom tributes and goes straight to the security guards, drivers and office boys who kept the machine running
MUMBAI: Most farewell posts by senior media executives follow a familiar script: gratitude to leadership, a nod to the team, a hint of what lies ahead. Avinash Kaul’s is not that post.
Writing on LinkedIn on his last day at Network18 Media & Investments, where he spent nearly 12 years rising to chief executive, Kaul bypassed the boardroom entirely and directed his most heartfelt words at the people furthest from it: the security guard who greeted him before the building was fully awake, the fleet staff who drove him to airports at ungodly hours, the office assistants, the housekeeping teams, and the administrators who, as he put it, “held ten thousand invisible threads so the rest of us could look organised.”
“You packed my parachute,” he wrote. “Every day. Without fanfare, recognition, or ever asking for it.”
It was a striking note from a man who leaves behind a considerable operational record. Kaul joined Network18 managing three channels and exits with responsibility for 20, alongside a publishing business, a growing connected television footprint, and what he says is the highest revenue and highest channel share in the group’s history. He was quick to deflect the credit. “Not because of me. Because of 4,000 people who showed up, every day, in every department, across the country.”
To content teams across India, he issued a reminder that carries some weight given the pressures Indian news media currently faces. “Keep being custodians of trust for 700 million people. That is not a small thing. That is the whole thing.”
To colleagues in revenue and ratings who found him relentless and hard to satisfy, he was unapologetic but generous. “There was never a single moment of ill intent in my heart. Everything I pushed you towards came from one belief – that you were stronger than you knew, and I was not willing to let you settle for less than your real capability.” Those who believed him, he said, flew. Those who did not taught him to be a better communicator. He was grateful to both.
On what comes next, he offered a hint wrapped in metaphor. Something is being built, he said, prepared for “the way you pack a bag before a long climb. Not out of restlessness. Out of readiness.”
In a media landscape that rarely pauses to acknowledge the people who keep the lights on, it was, at the very least, a different kind of goodbye.
Brands
Nissan, Avis roll out Rs 9,399 leasing plans for Magnite, GRAVITE
Partnership targets corporate mobility with flexible, asset-light solutions
GURUGRAM: Nissan Motor India has partnered with Avis India to introduce leasing and subscription-based mobility solutions, targeting the growing demand for flexible and asset-light transport options among corporate customers.
Under the partnership, vehicles including the Nissan Magnite and the all-new Nissan GRAVITE will be available through structured leasing and subscription plans. Rentals start at Rs 9,399 per month, with flexible tenures of up to 60 months and usage capped at 50,000 km.
The offering is designed as an end-to-end solution, with Avis India handling the complete lease lifecycle, including procurement, registration, maintenance, insurance and end-of-term services. The aim is to provide enterprises with predictable cost structures while reducing the burden of asset ownership.
Commenting on the development, Nissan Motor India managing director Saurabh Vatsa said, “This partnership reinforces Nissan’s long-term commitment to the Indian market through strategic, customer-centric initiatives that deliver greater value by expanding accessible and flexible mobility solutions.”
He added, Nissan Motor India managing director Saurabh Vatsa said, “By collaborating with Avis India, we are enabling a seamless leasing ecosystem that supports the evolving needs of corporate customers seeking efficient and scalable mobility.”
Echoing the sentiment, Avis India managing director Aman Naagar said, “This partnership strengthens our relationships with key manufacturers and aligns with our focus on building scalable and structured platforms for enterprise clients.”
The collaboration reflects a broader shift in corporate mobility preferences, where businesses are increasingly opting for subscription-led models over ownership. By combining Nissan’s vehicle portfolio with Avis India’s operational capabilities, the companies are positioning themselves to tap into India’s evolving mobility landscape with solutions that prioritise flexibility, efficiency and scale.
