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Hinduja Group’s Ashish Kaul joins Prakash Jha Productions as CEO
MUMBAI: Prakash Jha Productions has appointed the media and entertainment vet Ashish Kaul as the CEO for its television and digital business.
Kaul has taken up this role after being the business head for IN Entertainment India Limited, the digital cable broadcasting & content business of Hinduja Group. He had joined the group in 2012 as the vice-president.
Kaul has over 23 years of experience in leadership roles across managing businesses across entertainment, news, ITES, retail and consumer goods. He has served in executive governance roles with conglomerates such as the Essel Group / Zee Network, Credence International, BAG Films, Bajaj Herbals and Golden Medias. He was also the CEO for Association of Motion Pictures & TV Programme Producers in India.
Prakash Jha Productions is a brand incorporated by the well-known director of topical cinema Prakash Jha, to take his unique brand ‘Cinema with Power’ forward.
Prakash Jha Productions has been synonymous with the production of quality films for over 20 years. He is a multiple award-winning filmmaker known nationally and internationally for his critically acclaimed and popular films including Amitabh Bachchan starters Satyagraha & Aarakshan, and Raajneeti, Apaharan, Gangaajal, Mrityudand, Parinati and Damul as well as award-winning documentaries such as Sonal, Faces After The Storm, Kudiattam, and Looking Back. Other feature productions include Rahul (2001), Dil Kya Kare (1999) and Hip Hip Hurray (1983).
Confirming the news to Indiantelevision.com, Kaul said, “Television and digital media is a sunrise industry with tremendous potential of reach and value for the advertisers. I believe the approach to content production and management for television and digital space is not yet understood by the industry and I believe Prakash Jha Productions will be that catalyst of change. Personally, I would like to bring in a collaborative effort to content creation that delivers reach, popularity and ultimately value to the advertisers.”
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.
