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Content Hub: The Future of Content
Mumbai: On a bright sunny day of 25 April, Indiantelevision.com’s event, The Content Hub, which took place at The Lalit, Mumbai saw the presence of many experts in the content space.
The second panel was moderated by Ernst & Young partner media & entertainment advisory services Ashish Pherwani on the topic The Future of Content. The panelists were Zee Studios CEO Shariq Patel, aha CEO Ajit k Thakur, Lyca Productions CEO Aashish Singh, Viacom18 Media Private Ltd. COO Ajit Andhare, Guilty By Association partner Amar Butala.
The panel began with the question raised by Pherwani about the demand of content in the coming future to which Patel said, “I think the demand for content will, you know, has been increasing as we saw a huge acceleration, thanks to the fiction pandemic, president’s demand continues, it’s a question of how much we can supply at the right cost and the right price points, I think that’s where it’s all of us are, you know, spending more time on our mobile screens or at home or connected TVs, or at cinemas, so the content demand is there.”
Thakur added on to it and said, “The thing is that there is a certain kind of content that you will be able to watch. Cinema viewing is huge. I know I go to watch the cinema with my family during the weekend or whenever it works. And the kind of cinema what kind of shot content you’re talking about is something that you could watch while you’re driving. You could be on a local train. So that will continue to be consumed. So the bottom line is that content will always be in demand.”
Singh agreed on this and added, “For the first time in India, content is not only competing with content but also with other physiological needs, and which is why we are all running apart and what’s on deficit. So there is clearly a new equilibrium that we need to find a really huge surface to which we don’t have time to cover yet.”
Andhare shared, “One thing we’ve learned from the Western market is that we could sum up stories that might not be convenient, otherwise. So I actually feel that it is great to be able to use these words to put them on platforms.”
In the end, Butala concluded and said, “The kind of content consumed would be different when a 15 year old becomes 25. So entertainment is not going anywhere. I think in the next five to seven years, the kind of content that a 15 year old kid would consume is the challenge that we all should face. Presently, I think if we get more writers, and if we get them in the right place, I think the demand for content is not going away.”
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.
