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Industry remembers Rajjat Barjatya
MUMBAI: Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero was on the button when he said: “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.”
29 July shook the entire entertainment industry with the sudden demise of Rajshri Entertainment managing director and CEO Rajjat Barjatya. Barjatya had been battling a cancer relapse since March. He was first detected with lymphoblastic leukemia in 2010. He fought and conquered the life-threatening disease but unfortunately succumbed to it on 29 July evening.
Barjatya is remembered as a digital pioneer and stalwart and the one who played a large role in taking digital content mainstream. Though his presence will be missed big time, but he still remains an integral part of the industry through his excellent work. No sooner did the news surface through various news agencies, than condolences started pouring in. His former colleagues and well wishers within the industry have also taken to social media to express their loss.
A+ E Network managing director and TV 18 strategy, product and alliances president Avinash Kaul tweets, “ Saddened beyond words to hear of #RajjatBarjatya passing away. Finest human being I have come across and a very dear friend. RIP.”
RBNL CEO Tarun Katial also tweeted saying, “Life seems short and extremely unpredictable! RIP #RajjatBarjatya”
Filmmaker, Shirish Kunder who had worked with him for a very long time says, “Nothing shakes you up more than when someone your age dies. RIP Rajjat Barjatya. A dear friend, since I edited a film for him 13 years back.”
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Balaji Telefilms group CEO Sameer Nair shared, “It’s really unfortunate to hear about his death. I was really shocked because I know him from many years. Just two days back at a CII meeting we were discussing about him and such news is a real shock. He was a true pioneer in the video online space. I remember my first meeting with him in Star India in 2005. We were talking about Rajshri.com and what he plans to do with it. 2005 was the pioneer days for online video and nobody knew at that time that where it will go and the online digital world is really going to miss him.”
Universal Music Group and EMI Music, South Asia managing director & CEO Devraj Sanyal expressed, “I just remember him as the nicest people I know. Every interaction I had with him – discussion about work, music matter or about the industry. He was one those who really want to change the industry and do it decently not like a typical Bollywood type. He will be remembered as a person who always looked for good in each and everyone he met. It’s a terrible loss for the industry.”
“It’s a deep shock for all of us. He was more than a boss for the entire team and we lost a genuine person today. He always wanted us to have a very large vision for Rajshri and we are very hopeful and passionate about making his dream true,” recounts Rajshri Entertainment content alliances general manager and his close friend Inderpal Singh Jaggi.
Hotstar creative director and Barjatya’s old friend Siddhartha Jain states, “I shared a great friendship and relationship with him. He was one of the finest human beings I know in this industry. He was also the pioneer in the internet content space and first one to buy into internet content when nobody knew about it. It’s a big loss for the family and as well as for the industry.”
Indeed, a loss it is.
As indiantelevision.com joins the industry to mourn for this great loss, we leave our readers with this old interview that Barjatya had given us a year ago
Note: A prayer meet to remember Rajjat Barjatya is to be held on 31 July 2016 at Rangsharda, Bandra, Mumbai between 3-5 pm.
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.
