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Manoj Padmanabhan takes charge as chief growth officer at Smitson Entertainment
MUMBAI: In a career move that straddles the worlds of OTT and grassroots sports, Manoj Padmanabhan has taken over as chief growth officer at Smitson Entertainment. The announcement was made public via Linkedin, where Padmanabhan confirmed he would continue in his role as chief revenue officer at Sportvot while spearheading growth at Smitson.
Smitson Entertainment is building its identity around storytelling for the new-age Indian audience. From web series and show formats pitched to top OTT players to music IPs designed for global stage experiences, the company aims to put Indian creative narratives in the global spotlight. Padmanabhan’s entry comes at a time when Smitson is ramping up content pipelines and forging international collaborations.
“Pranaay Pradhaan let’s make this count”, Padmanabhan said in a post, hinting at an ambitious new chapter.
Padmanabhan brings more than two decades of experience across sports broadcasting, digital media, and entertainment. Currently at Sportvot, he has been instrumental in building a cost-effective live streaming platform tailored for community and grassroots sports. Under his leadership, Sportvot launched the Sportvot Cloud Studio—a web-based production tool enabling multi-camera sports broadcasts from smartphones, professional rigs, or even AI-driven cameras.
Prior to this, Padmanabhan held leadership roles at Alpha Metaverse Technologies, Total Esports (TES), Dailyhunt, and Star TV Network, where he led niche sports sales and helped establish leagues like Pro Kabaddi and Premier Badminton League. He also played a foundational role in shaping Indian Super League (ISL) at RISE Worldwide, transforming India’s football broadcast ecosystem.
With his music initiative Soulful Vibrations and past ventures into production and programming at Ten Sports and UTV, Padmanabhan brings a multidisciplinary flair to the table—equally at home with tech stacks and turntables.
As Smitson positions itself at the intersection of entertainment, technology, and cultural storytelling, Padmanabhan’s blend of experience, agility and industry foresight could help shape a powerful creative engine built for scale.
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.
