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Arre appoints Viacom18’s Jaideep Singh as director
MUMBAI: Entertainment business veteran and former Viacom18 Integrated Network Solutions head, Jaideep Singh has been roped in by Arré as a director on its management team. Singh will guide the platform’s monetisation drive/strategy, launch Arré’s music vertical and contribute his experience towards expanding other content verticals as well. He will be working closely with founders B. Saikumar, Ajay Chacko and RayC as Arré expands its content footprint as India’s fastest growing original content brand on digital.
Saikumar said “We are delighted to have Jaideep join us at Arré to lead our business efforts as we expand and strengthen our content and platform. Jaideep brings invaluable experience and skills with respect to IP creation and monetisation, to further our growth objective, as we enter into an exciting year 2 of Arré.”
Arré has built a distinct voice by its unique take on culture and society using stories, doodles and audio besides video. It is one of the country’s fastest growing digital brands on social media besides being widely distributed across a range of domestic and international platforms like SonyLIV, YuppTV, Vodafone Play, Ola Prime Play, TF1 Xtra (OTT Network in France) etc. in addition to its own website and apps on IOS and Android.
Singh added, “Developing sustained business models in the entertainment sector has always been my passion. The explosive growth that Arré has witnessed as a brand is a story in itself and I am very excited to be part of this journey. My current ventures, Volocity Media and Ignition Creative will also help in creating some state-of-the-art engagement interfaces at Arré.”
He is currently partnered with two US based companies as a part of his entrepreneurial venture. He is the chairman of Ignition Creative (APAC and Middle East Board), an integrated marketing agency and the managing director, APAC and Middle East, for Volocity Media, a technology innovation group working in the field of developing digital products and platforms for building social communities.
Singh holds to his credit 20 years of diverse experience across marketing, media and entertainment. He has worked with notable companies, including, JK Tyres, Confederation of India Industries and Radio Mirchi. His last stint was a stellar 10-year position at Viacom18 India, where, as senior vice president and business head of Integrated Network Solutions, he launched a host of domestic and global impact IPs, secured strategic media partnerships with brands, government sectors and engaged with entertainment and media divisions across the globe. He established the INS and Live Viacom18 divisions of Viacom18, which boast of national and regional properties like the global EDM festival Vh1 Supersonic, MTV Xtreme, MTV Bollyland, the Indie artist festival EMERGE, the comedy festival Chuckle Festival, and SPIRO, which dominated the subcontinent with 300+ events and produced hundreds of hours of content.
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.
