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Bob Bakish to take over as Viacom CEO?
MUMBAI: Indian executives are familiar with this Viacom long-timer. And now, he’s being tipped to take over as the US media and cable Viacom CEO. We are talking about Viacom International Media Networks president & CEO Bob Bakish who was been quite closely associated with the Reliance group joint venture Viacom18 and its distribution outfit IndiaCast.
Bakish is slated to replace the interim CEO Tom Dooley if Bloomberg and other international media reports are to be believed. Dooley, who was appointed as the interim CEO following the ouster of the former CEO Philippe Dauman in a public slugfest between him and the majority owner Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari, will depart on 15 November.
The fiesty executive has a long history with Viacom, having first worked with the management consulting firm Booze Allen & Hamilton in the nineties, before hopping on board MTV Networks as the EVP & chief operating officer – ad sales between 2001 and 2004. He then was promoted as the EVP – operations Viacom and Viacom Enterprises, following which he ran MTV Networks International as its president between 2007 and 2011. Since then, he has been the president & CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, expanding and consolidating the group’s international business globally and making it profitable.
The board’s decision will be announced Monday.
Viacom18 Media, its 50:50 joint venture with Network18 (now Reliance Industries owned), is one of the international successes, which has flowered under his watch. The venture runs India’s top three GECs – Colors — apart from channels such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Colors Infinity. It has expanded the channels internationally as well into markets such as the UK, the US.
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.
