Cable TV
Hathway promotes senior VP Rajaraman. S as COO of video business
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has elevated Rajaraman. S as COO of the video business. Rajaraman was the senior VP of business operations, and played an important role in streamlining the business operations of the company including the Phase-III expansion.
With an experience of 18 years in the media & broadcasting space, Rajaraman had a long tenure with Star India’s south business as head of finance prior to joining Hathway.
In wake of the recent changes in its management structure, the company is looking to build greater focus on its Video business to keep pace with the fast changing dynamics of the digitization regime and to grow the business in the new regulatory environment proposed by TRAI in the coming months.
Commenting on the development, Hathway Cable & Datacom CEO Tavinderjit Panesar said, “The cable industry is set for a transformational shift in light of the new regulations. At Hathway, we are encouraged and excited to look at this as a big growth opportunity. Rajaraman has been an integral part of the change in the video business that Hathway has witnessed over the last couple of years by strengthening our processes and operations and setting the business for new challenges ahead. In his new role, we are confident that he will be able to contribute immensely in achieving our business objectives.”
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
