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Consumer Insights and original content makes Big Ganga leader in its space: Tarun Katial
MUMBAI: Every region has its own favorite channel and its denizens like to consume content in their own vernacular language. Hence all major broadcasters invest on a regional offering. Reliance Broadcast Networks Limited (RBNL) has a Bhojpuri channel under the Big banner -Big Ganga. “Since the last 26 weeks we have been number one” says RBNL CEO Tarun Katial.
In Broadcast Audience Research Council BARC India ratings, Big Ganga with 27086 Impressions (000’s) stands tall at number one position over Bhojpuri Cinema which secured a rating of 15875 Impressions (000s).
“From the very beginning we were committed on one factor and that is local consumers. Each and every step of ours is based on consumer insights. We are committed to our consumer and we will offer them original content, not overlapping content which is just dubbed or remade,” asserts Katial.
Soon after BARC India started rolling out its rural data, RBNL made Big Ganga available on DD Freedish. Katial believes this is a factor which enhanced the channel’s reach but says that is not the primary reason behind Big Ganga being number one in its genre. “We were number one before BARC started rolling out its rural data and we are number one now too. Freedish did a reach jump for us, but it is the secondary element, the primary reason behind our leadership is our home grown content,” explains Katial.
Shows like Big Memsaab, Rasoi Ki Rani and Bhakti Samrat are the homegrown assets of the channel which rope in maximum viewership for the channel. The content is well recognised by advertisers and the network has witnessed a significant growth in its ad rates. “The rates have gone up by 100 per cent and we see them going up further. It is because of the people we are catering to, and the kind of content we are producing,” reveals Katial.
“In the Bhojpuri market print continues to be the dominant medium as far as advertising is concerned. But Big Ganga over the years has created a place of its own. As per my estimates, the cost of a 10 second slot now would be close to Rs 5000 – 6000. It saw serious increment after the rural data roll-out,” says a media planning expert on condition of anonymity.
Big Ganga is not only a channel for Bihar and Jharkand as per Katial, “We are a pan India channel catering to the entire community. A significant amount of our viewership comes from places other than Jharkhand and Bihar,” he says.
“Now we are looking towards putting serious investment behind consumer insights and coming up with significant original content,” he concludes with a smile.
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.
