News Broadcasting
BBC, Ficci strategic partners in Mumbai Saarc biz meet
NEW DELHI: BBC World, the BBC’s international 24-hour news and information channel will be the official media partner for the second SAARC Business Leaders Conclave, being hosted on 17 and 18 February in Mumbai, a company statement said today.
The conclave organised by the SAARC Chamber of Commerce will see BBC World and Ficci as strategic partners, providing a platform for global debate, dialogue and discussion.
Pranab Mukherjee, Minister for Foreign Affairs of India, will inaugurate the SAARC Business Leaders Conclave 2007.
The two-day event will witness participation from eminent corporate, government and media personnel from across the sub-continent.
Among those addressing the conclave are Dasho Ugen Tsechup Dorji, President, SCCI; Syed Yawar Ali, Chairman, Nestle, Pakistan;. Alan Winters, Director- Development Research Group, The World Bank and Najam Sethi, Daily Times, Pakistan.
On February18, BBC World will organise a debate: “Is a South Asian economic union necessary for economic growth in South Asian nations?”
The debate will be moderated by BBC World’s business correspondent, Karishma Vaswani with Vicki Treadell, Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission, Mumbai and Anand Giridharadas, South Asia Correspondent, International Herald Tribune, among others taking part in the panel discussions.
Vaishali Sharma, head of marketing communication, BBC World, India, says, “As a leading international news channel, we are proud to associate with Ficci in this endeavour to encourage regional economic cooperation through the SAARC business leaders conclave, as a result providing value to our stakeholders.”
Dr Amit Mitra, Secretary General, Ficci says, “SAARC Business Leaders Conclave is an attempt by the private sector of SAARC towards realising the aspirations of South Asia’s economic integration.
“The Conclave emphasises deeper Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for creating a platform to address the common challenges that South Asia is facing. Ficci and SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) are delighted that BBC World is partnering with us in this unique enterprise of thought leadership.”
The first SAARC Business Leaders Conclave (SBLC) in 2005 was held at a time of when SAARC countries stood at the threshold of a new decade of their existence.
The conclave provided a unique platform to debate the gains made in regional cooperation during its first two decades and to underline that efforts must continue to free South Asia from poverty, hunger and other forms of deprivation which present a daunting challenge.
The 2007 conclave will reinforce this process through its two-day session theme – Regional Cooperation: A Springboard for Growth and Job Creation.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
