News Broadcasting
India Today Conclave 2025 brings powerhouses together for thought-provoking dialogues
MUMBAI: Brace yourselves, thought leaders and policy buffs! The India Today Conclave 2025 is all set to electrify the stage at the Taj Palace, Delhi, on 7-8 March. With an enviable lineup of political titans, business magnates, cultural icons, and global experts, this year’s theme—’Age of Acceleration’—promises to decode the rapid transformations shaping our world.
Leading the charge is Delhi CM Rekha Gupta who will make her first significant public appearance since assuming office. She will unveil her vision for Delhi under the ‘Lotus Capital’ framework, touching upon governance, infrastructure, and policy shifts set to redefine the capital’s future.
Adding firepower to the political discourse, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath will reflect on the grandeur of the Maha Kumbh, revealing how it transcends tradition to become a showcase of logistical and infrastructural prowess. Meanwhile, former U.S. State secretary and CIA director Mike Pompeo will provide an insider’s perspective on global security, shifting alliances, and the evolving India-U.S. relationship.
The geopolitical conversations will extend further with Palestine Land Studies Centre director Zeina Jallad offering insights on Gaza’s legal and political landscape, while author and former Israeli parliamentarian Einat Wilf will present her perspective on the region’s future.
The conclave isn’t all politics and diplomacy. Indian cinema’s perfectionist Aamir Khan will take a deep dive into storytelling, cinema, and the evolution of entertainment, while Shabana Azmi and Jyothika will share behind-the-scenes insights into their upcoming film, alongside producer Shibani Akhtar. In a rare public conversation, Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal will explore the ever-evolving nature of love and companionship.
Women in business will take centre stage as Namita Thapar (Emcure Pharmaceuticals), Avarna Jain (Saregama), and Anu Ranjan (Indian Television Academy) discuss leadership, entrepreneurship, and breaking barriers in male-dominated industries.
The conclave will also shine a spotlight on sports, music, and intellectual excellence. Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav will discuss how he’s redefining modern batting, chess prodigy D. Gukesh will recount his meteoric rise to becoming the world’s youngest champion, and musician Rishab Rikhiram Sharma will share his journey of taking Indian classical music to the world stage.
With conversations spanning governance, business, technology, culture, and sports, India Today Conclave 2025 is poised to be a melting pot of ideas that shape India’s trajectory. As the world speeds up in the ‘Age of Acceleration’, this conclave promises to be the pulse of change, where the future is not just discussed—it’s defined.
http://indiatodayconclave.com/
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
