News Broadcasting
Actor Preity Zinta to pen column for BBC website
MUMBAI: Entertainment takes pride of place. Even on the “Old Aunty.”
Come 2 February and Bollywood glam doll Preity Zinta will be joining the BBC as a columnist for it’s website www.bbcnews.com/southasia.
Actor Preity Zinta
That the top Bollywood actor who’s stared in hits like Dil Chahta Hai, Koi… Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho gets much higher billing than a heavyweight line up of some of South Asia’s most respected commentators including best selling author Ahmed Rashid, renowned economist Kaushik Basu and leading sports writer Rohit Brijnath, says a lot.
Zinta will write on a varied range of topics and will not be restricting herself to topics relating to the film industry only. She has been quoted in a company release as saying, “This column is something very interesting and a totally new experience for me. It is also a good platform to air my views on a variety of subjects as I am a pretty outspoken person,”
In her first column which will be available at www.bbcnews.com/southasia from 2 February, she looks at the changing face of Bollywood and the films to watch out for in 2004. “It is going to be an exciting year because our young filmmakers are challenging the old order. They are instrumental in sculpting Bollywood’s new, changing face,” she says. Zinta will be donating her fee as a columnist for the BBC to a charity she supports in Punjab.
Said bbcnews.com/southasia editor Bernard Gabony, “She (Zinta) completes what we think is the most impressive team of columnists writing on South Asian affairs anywhere on the Internet.”
Ahmed Rashid
BBCnews.com has been repeatedly voted the best news website in the world. It is run by a large team of journalists in London and also has a network of correspondents across India. Along with Zinta the site also boasts of best selling author Ahmed Rashid. Another writer the BBC has is Kaushik Basu, who analyses India’s prospects in the global economy. Basu is Marks Professor of International Studies and Professor of Economics and Director of Program on Comparative Economic Development at Cornell University in US.
Completing the new BBC line up is Rohit Brijnath, one of India’s best known sports writers who has been covering sport for 17 years. He has covered the Olympic Games, Asian Games, World Cup cricket, grand slam tennis events and numerous cricket tours. Brijnath, who is known for his breezy writing style and frank views, will be writing on sports and sporting personalities in the subcontinent.
News Broadcasting
TV9 to host What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 in Delhi
PM Narendra Modi to keynote two day forum on India and the world
NEW DELHI: TV9 Network is gearing up to host the fourth edition of its flagship What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 on March 23 and 24 in the national capital, bringing together a wide spectrum of voices to debate India’s place in a shifting global order.
The summit will open with a keynote address by Narendra Modi, setting the tone for this year’s theme, “India and the world”, as the country positions itself at the crossroads of economic growth, geopolitical shifts and technological change.
From cabinet ministers to chief ministers, business leaders to cultural figures, the event promises a crowded stage and a lively exchange of ideas. Union ministers such as Piyush Goyal and Jyotiraditya Scindia are expected to attend, alongside state leaders including Mohan Yadav, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Bhajan Lal Sharma, Nayab Singh Saini and Bhagwant Mann.
Political voices from across the aisle, including Smriti Irani, Akhilesh Yadav and Asaduddin Owaisi, will also join the conversation, ensuring that the debates are as diverse as they are dynamic.
Adding a cultural and sporting touch, personalities such as yoga guru Swami Ramdev, poet Kumar Vishwas and cricketing names like Sourav Ganguly, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh are set to share the stage. Global business leaders and diplomats will further widen the lens, reflecting the summit’s international outlook.
Speaking ahead of the event, TV9 Network managing director and chief executive officer Barun Das, said India stands at a unique moment in history, combining demographic strength, technological capability and entrepreneurial energy. He noted that in uncertain times, honest conversations and bold ideas will shape the country’s trajectory.
The summit will explore themes ranging from economic growth and governance to innovation, sustainability and culture, positioning itself as a platform for dialogue at a time when the world is in flux.
With a packed agenda and a high-profile guest list, What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 aims to do more than just talk. It seeks to capture a moment where India is not only part of the global conversation, but increasingly helping lead it.
