News Headline
Major restructuring in Star India; Uday Shankar, chairman & CEO, Sanjay Gupta, MD
MUMBAI: Star India announced a series of leadership changes as part of an organizational shift to strategic business units where Uday Shankar will be chairman and CEO.The current COO Sanjay Gupta has been elevated to Star India’s managing director and K. Madhavan will be managing director-South.
Both Gupta and Madhavan will continue to report to Shankar. These changes position the organization to meet its future growth ambitions on the back of a decade of rapid growth.
“Star India consistently sets the standard for innovation and growth in one of the world’s most exciting markets,” said 21st Century Fox chief executive officer James Murdoch. “Uday, Sanjay, Madhavan and the entire Star India team have built a world-class business that has grown at double the industry rate. We are proud of its success and look forward to the next chapter of growth under Uday’s transformational leadership.”
Star has established empowered business units each with its own CEO reporting to Sanjay Gupta. Amit Chopra appointed as CEO of entertainment, which spans drama and movie channels across national and regional channels in Hindi, English, Bengali and Marathi. While, Sports CEO Nitin Kukreja, which includes a leading portfolio of channels under the Star Sports banner.
Ajit Mohan is now CEO digital, which oversees Hotstar, Star’s revolutionary digital platform which recently surpassed 50 million downloads and Vijay Singh has also been upped as the CEO of Fox Star Studios, which produces and distributes Bollywood and Regional films.
Kevin Vaz has been appointed as South CEO and will be reporting to K. Madhavan. The South business unit incorporates all of Star’s business interests in the Southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
In another first, a pan-India content studio will be set up to drive cutting edge innovation in programming under Gaurav Banerjee who will report into Sanjay Gupta. The corporate centre will continue largely unchanged.
“I congratulate Sanjay, Madhavan and the CEOs on their elevation. This is a world class team that has powered Star to the No. 1 position in the media and entertainment industry in India. Now, I personally and the entire team are even more dedicated to the cause of using Star’s reach in India to inspire the imaginations of a billion Indians. To do this, we need to continuously innovate and disrupt. We have set ourselves a bold growth agenda and these changes will deepen the leadership bench, unlock entrepreneurial energy and position Star better to deliver on its ambitions,” said Star India chairman & CEO Uday Shankar.
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.
