GECs
Improved Indian presence expected at this year’s CommunicAsia2001
A preview of what to look ahead to this year at Asia’s largest telecommunications and broadcasting event, held annually in Singapore, was provided today by Josephine Schlittler-Chong, project consultant for the event, at a media briefing in Mumbai. Schlittler-Chong said an increased Indian presence was expected at this year’ event while pointing out that there be a separate Indian pavilion.
CommunicAsia2001 in conjunction with BroadcastAsia2001, the “definitive trade event in Asia” for the broadcasting profession, kicks off on 19 June and is expected to have 2,800 companies from across the globe congregating for the four days through to 22 June in Singapore, Schlittler-Chong said.
CommunicAsia2001 will be showcasing four specialist conferences: MobileCommAsia2001, eBiz 2001, Network Asia 2001 and Asia pacific Satellite Communications while BroadcastAsia2001 will have an international conference and Comgraphics & Animation 2001 Workshops.
Schlittler-Chong, who landed in Mumbai after pitching for the need to have greater Indian participation at this year’s event at a similar briefing in New Delhi, said BroadcastAsia2001 would have 800 companies from 40 countries attending while CommunicAsia2001 would have 2,000 companies from 50 countries present.
The number of visitors expected was 48,000 Schlittler-Chong said. This was a huge number considering the fact that the conference was not open to the general public, she pointed out.
To accommodate all the exhibitors, the organisers, Singapore Exhibition Services, have had to erect additional space to supplement the Singapore Expo’s six halls and its entire facility of 68,000 square metres with an additional 11,000 square metres adding to a total of 79,000 square metres.
The Indian presence at the event, which has been largely marginal at this event, will have a higher profile this year, Schlittler-Chong said. There would be a separate Indian pavilion and the Conference of Indian Industries (CII) is co-ordinating activities around the Indian pavilion, Schlittler-Chong said, adding the Department of Technology (DoT) was seriously considering lending support by subsidising Indian participants to some extent.
Queried on the actual level of Indian participation expected, Schlittler-Chong said at the 2000 exhibition there were 1,191 Indians present and more were expected this year.
Prominent among the Indian companies who will be present at CommunicAsia 2001 are:
VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd), MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam LTD) BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam LTD), Confederation of Indian Industry, Gemini Communications LTD, Bharati Telecommunication, HFCL (Himachal Futuristic Communications LTD), National Panasonic India LTD, Ramco Systems, Rohde & Schwarz India Pvt LTD, and Sun Media Ventures Pvt Ltd.
Om Khushu, director, technical department, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, has been appointed as conference chairman on the BroadcastAsia2001 International Conference’s Panel of Conference advisers.
The session on “Satellite Regulation: National Reforms in the Regional Context” promises to be a one of the more interesting ones at the convention. G Jethwani, director satellite, department of technology (DOT), will be speaking on the Indian experience in regulation. And with China’s deputy director general, ministry of information industry, Chen Ruming, also scheduled to speak on the Chinese perspective on the subject, it should provide for an interesting comparative study.
And for those who want to chill out after all the business talk, June is a great time of year to be in Singapore because of the wonderful shopping opportunities as well as other activities of tourist interest.
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GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
