Cable TV
Hathway’s outgoing exec Panesar yet to firm up future plan
MUMBAI: In a dramatic development, Hathway video business CEO TS Panesar has quit following the move where Hathway Cable and Datacom chose to opt out of its cable TV business to a wholly-owned subsidiary retaining the broadband operations in the parent company. Confirming the news, Panesar communicated to indiantelevision.com that he was yet to firm up his new plan and future course of action.
The reformist Panesar, having a multifaceted 20 years of experience in the broadcasting sector, decided to call it off after spending two and half years in the cable TV distribution entity. The executive, who had moved in from Star India, played a pivotal role in reforming the TV and cable operations unveiling a battery of value-added services (VAS).
The CEO also launched ‘Hathway Connect’, an online portal for local cable operators (LCOs) which helped them maintain their expenditures, revenues, reduce operational costs, to raise the profits and make transactions more transparent. Among other things, the former CEO contributed to the growth of Hathway in DAS Phase III areas and led the company’s foray into VAS. Panesar was responsible for the launch of an ad-free value added services (VAS) titled ‘Hathway Special’ for subscribers who wanted quality content.
Panesar’s exit comes after Hathway Cable & Datacom MD and CEO Jagdish Kumar quit in November 2016. Following Kumar’s exit, Hathway had reshuffled its top management team.
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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.
