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Beginnen Media onboards Anooj Kapoor and Tushar Bansal
Mumbai: Beginnen Media has announced the appointment of Anooj Kapoor as chief content, creative and consumer officer and Tushar Bansal as chief revenue officer for the TV channel – Azaad.
In his previous stint, Kapoor launched Sony Pal and served as SAB TV business head where he was instrumental to transform the brand into a high-yield profitable channel, said the statement.
“I’m pleased to announce that Anooj and Tushar have joined the leadership team at Azaad,” said Beginnen Media managing director Bharat Ranga. “Anooj understands heartland audiences’ tastes closely and is deft at telling ‘mazedaar’ stories to win their hearts. He leads the strategic edge and rustic power to brand Azaad. Tushar will pursue the campaign to bring about the premium status that the rural audiences rightfully deserve.”
Kapoor will head product development, programming and content strategy, product innovation, content creation, and curation. Kapoor will also provide the strategic inputs for Azaad’s growth path. He has successfully straddled over three decades in the field of marketing, advertising, and television.
“I am very happy to be a part of India’s first rural entertainment channel, a very relevant but ignored positioning by a GEC,” said Kapoor. “Bharat and I go a long way. I am very happy to associate with him and look forward to creating another exciting GEC Brand with Azaad.”
Bansal will spearhead the ad revenues division at Azaad. He has two decades of experience in ad sales and driving strategic initiatives for garnering revenue opportunities. He has worked with prestigious media houses like Zee Entertainment, Sony and Ten Sports in leadership positions, with the latest being the executive cluster head at Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
“These are exciting times to join Azaad, a point where growth in TV households is much faster than urban and the viewership is also showing an upward trend in the rural markets,” said Bansal. “There is a remarkable emergence in the economic, social and technological environment in the rural market and every advertiser is looking at ways to reach the ‘ru-urban’ consumers. The journey seems very interesting and I look forward to contributing in shaping up the revenue model for advertisers in rural and free-to-air category on Azaad.”
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.
