News Broadcasting
Cellcast sets shop in India; appoints Thakar as CEO
MUMBAI: In order to expand its international reach, global interactive digital broadcaster – Cellcast plc – has set shop in Mumbai. The new subsidiary company will be called Cellcast Interactive India Pvt Ltd.
The Indian subsidiary will be headed by Pankaj Thakar, who has over 20 years experience in the computer, telecom and wireless sectors.
Thakar said, “Indias consumers are primed for the kind of innovative participation-TV programming, which Cellcast has developed so successfully in the UK and other markets. With 85 million TV households, over 65 million mobile phone subscribers growing by 2.5 million new users every month, and a sustained rise in consumer spending power, India promises to become a leading world market for convergent entertainment services in a very short time.”
The newly established subsidiary will help Cellcast address the rising demand for interactive entertainment in India. The companys programmes and technology platform will enable broadcast partners to capture new revenue streams that are independent of subscription income and advertising, and build new audiences among the highly sought-after youth demographic.
In March this year, Cellcast launched a 24 hour interactive channel called Play TV on the Zee Network in partnership with the Essel Group. Since Play TVs launch, premium rate SMS traffic has doubled month on month and the channel now broadcasts over 10 hours of live interactive programmes daily.
Commenting on the launch of Cellcast Interactive India, Cellcast plc CEO Andrew Wilson said, “We recognise the huge potential in India, and Cellcast is excited to participate in the growth of this market. The success of Play TV has shown the high demand for our interactive services, and we look forward to launching new programmes and applications to build on this success.”
“Cellcast is one of the few companies with an end-to-end interactive television solution, combining state of the art technology with compelling programming within a proven business model. With experience drawn from several continents, our expertise, programme portfolio, applications and technology platform deliver a distinct advantage to our broadcast and telecom partners in this rapidly expanding sector,” he added.
Cellcast Interactive India will also shortly open a Development and Technical Support Centre in Mumbai. Initially, the production and development facility will support programmes and applications distributed in the India market. Over time, the Centre is expected to play an increasing role in international product development.
Cellcasts proven business model is highly scalable, from small satellite channels to major terrestrial broadcasters, and is generating significant revenues for existing broadcast partners in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
