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MTV India strengthens team
MUMBAI: 2014 has been a year of wins for the universe of the young, MTV. To further establish itself in the space, the channel has roped in Shalini Sethi and Keegan Pinto as programming and creative heads respectively.
Sethi will be responsible for further building original content based on her understanding of media consumption habits of young people. Working closely with young producers and talent, she will strengthen existing franchises while parallelly building new properties.
Keegan, who has worked on the biggest brands in the country, will bring his edgy creative sense to drive the bite across all communication elements including brand messaging, show promotions and short format content for multi-screen consumption.
Both will be reporting to MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy.
Talking about the new additions to the team Swamy said that people are the biggest asset of his business and the channel continuously looks for talent that believe in the power of MTV and are also hungry to push the envelope and challenge the status quos.
“Shalini and Keegan have an infectious energy and are key drivers in taking MTV into its next phase in the India journey. I am thrilled to have them as part of the part and I am excited about the madness that we will unleash together,” Swamy said.
Speaking on her new role, Sethi added, “Looking in from the outside, MTV is the benchmark for everything ‘cool’ when it comes to the youth. And now that I’m here, I can already feel the excitement that drives this brand. It is indeed a pleasure to be here at a time when the channel is adding some very interesting shows and also delving deeper into fiction. I’m looking forward to working with the great set of people that I’ve met here and hoping that I’ll be able to create some great content for an iconic brand like MTV.”
Pinto said, “MTV is the first and last word on youth and the young at heart. It is a monument, a legacy, a bastion of pop-culture and music so much so that people tend to forget it’s an acronym and quote it as if it were a word. It is synonymous with innovation, passion and is known for reflecting the way the youth like to be and express themselves.”
He further added, “To be working with people who have been instrumental in defining generations of young people and head the creative team is an extremely exciting idea for me. To add to a brand of this stature, a brand that I grew up with, a brand that enriched my imagination as a creative person, is a humbling honor. I love edgy content and MTV is all about bite and bigness. I look forward to being part of this fascinating culture which encourages creativity and being unabashed in every aspect of work.”
Prior to joining MTV India, Sethi led programming at bindass. She began her career as a production assistant with Picture This Co and soon moved to AIM Television, a production house where she worked on TV shows such as Khubsurat and Indian Holiday. Moving from Delhi to Mumbai she worked on many projects such as Breakfast with Zee and Deepa Mehta’s movie Earth 1947. Post which she joined the Moving Picture Company.
With more than a decade of experience, Pinto’s previous stints were with Lowe Lintas, Bates 141, Rediffusion Young & Rubicam, O&M and Colenso BBDO Auckland, New Zealand. His work has won him accolades in both the international and national circuits including the prestigious D&AD, One Show, Adfest, Cannes Lions, Abbys and Effies.
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.
