Music and Youth
9X Jhakaas ropes in Ashwinikumar Patil as programming head
MUMBAI: 9X Media Pvt. Ltd has announced the appointment of Ashwinikumar Patil as head of programming for 9X Jhakaas. Patil would be reporting to 9X Media chief programming officer Amar Tidke.
Commenting on the hire, Tidke said, “9X Jhakaas has grown manifold times since its launch 4 years ago. Today, the Channel is a major player in the Marathi music and entertainment industry. I welcome Ashwinikumar on board. I am sure his rich and diverse experience will be of immense value to 9X Jhakaas as the Channel enters the next phase of growth.”
With over 12 years of experience in programming and production, Patil has worked across a broad spectrum of media and entertainment companies including Zee Marathi, Zee Talkies, etc. He started his career as a Radio Jockey on Big FM Mumbai station. Later he went on to launch the Solapur, Indore and Gwalior radio stations at Big FM. He has also held the position of regional non-fiction head at Reliance Big Productions.
Speaking on joining 9X Jhakaas, Patil added, “I am extremely pleased to be a part of the young and vibrant team at 9X Jhakaas. The Channel has achieved an unprecedented growth in a very short span of time and has played a crucial role in reviving the Marathi film & music industry. I look forward to a very productive and successful future with 9X Jhakaas.”
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
