Cable TV
Mauj Telecom receives $ 10 million VC funding
MUMBAI: Mauj Telecom has received a funding of $10 million from WestBridge Capital Partners, Intel Capital and Sequoia Capital.
WestBridge Capital Partners led the round of venture capital funding. Mauj Telecom, which is part of People Group, develops services on all leading platforms including J2ME, Smartphone, BREW, Symbian, SS7 and I-Mode and is partnered with the leading wireless operators and portals in the world.
Intel Capital, Intel Corporation’s venture investment arm, focuses on making minority equity investments to grow the Internet economy in support of Intel’s strategic interests. Sequoia Capital is the world’s leading venture investor specially in new economy businesses and has previously invested in companies such as Google, Yahoo and Cisco.
Commenting on the funding support from three leading VCs, People Group CMD Anupam Mittal said, “Today is a big day not just for us but also for the Mobile VAS Industry. We understand this is the largest deal in this space in India and we expect that it will trigger many more. We are especially thrilled that we are backed by a ‘dream team’ – WestBridge, Intel and Sequoia are all names that require no introduction so their support is a testament to what the team at Mauj has been able to envision and build. The capital will be used to grow the business organically and through acquisitions.”
Added Mauj Telecom CEO Arun Gupta: ‘Mauj Telecom will use the capital to expand aggressively globally in the areas of mobile music and mobile gaming.’
WestBridge Capital Partners MD Sandeep Singhal will join the board of Mauj Telecom. Speaking on the investment, Singhal said, “Mauj Telecom has built a very strong leading position in the mobile value added services market in a very short period of time. We believe that mobile value added services are poised for rapid growth globally and are excited to be a partner in Mauj Telecom’s continued rapid growth and helping them further dominate the market.”
“Wireless is experiencing explosive growth in India. Mauj Telecom’s focus on Mobile Value Added Services presents an opportunity for significant growth,” said Intel Capital India director Kumar Shiralagi said. “Our investment in Mauj Telecom provides Intel Capital with the opportunity to share what we have learned through our investments worldwide as we work together with them to build their business.”
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
