News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide re-equips advertising sales team in India
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has rejigged the structure and responsibility of the advertising sales team in India.
As part of the restructuring process, BBC Worldwide team is bifurcated into news and non-news streams. Seema Mohapatra has been promoted to regional sales director, BBC Worldwide South Asia. Mohapatra was earlier head of advertising sales for India.
Taranjeet Singh has been elevated to head of advertising sales, News, BBC Worldwide, South Asia. Prior to the promotion, Singh was regional sales manager, BBC World, North and East India.
Singh will be responsible for revenue generation, client servicing and performance management for BBC World and bbc.com. As part of his team, and reporting to him, will be Jabir Merchant who has been promoted to senior sales account manager, News, West, and Gaurav Pahwa, account manager, News, North.
Neena Dasgupta has been elevated to the post of head of advertising sales, non–news, BBC Worldwide, South Asia. She was earlier regional manager, West and South.
In her new post, Dasgupta will be focused on driving advertising sales for BBC Worldwide’s non-news portfolio of television and online products and services, from both existing clients and new categories and brands across the country.
Likewise, Komal Sangani has been promoted to senior sales account manager, Non–news, West, and in New Delhi Jaya Chaudhry becomes senior account executive, Non–news.
BBC Worldwide VP sales, Asia and Australasia Sunita Rajan said, “I am confident that our new team structure will further help strengthen the strategic direction required for growth in such a dynamic market, and across the wider South Asian markets, as well as bringing greater focus to our business across BBC World, Global Channels and bbc.com throughout the region.”
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.
