News Broadcasting
NDTV & Piramal Foundation launch campaign highlighting farmers’ issues
MUMBAI: NDTV and Piramal Foundation have started a crusade aiming at highlighting farmer related issues and finding ways to address the severe problem. The campaign – Cultivating Hope – will raise awareness about the adversities faced by farmers in India and find ways to overcome challenges.
The campaign is also supported by Akshay Kumar and will talk about all the problems of the farmers from scarcity of water to lack of education to the severe lack of basic healthcare, especially for women. It will address the situation and find ways to overcome these challenges by adapting to solutions.
NDTV group CEO Vikram Chandra said, “NDTV has always been a frontrunner in highlighting issues that concern our country. Be it related to the environment, or about the education of underprivileged, we have always believed in addressing these social issues that are an obstacle to our development. TheCultivating Hope initiative is yet another endeavour to give our farmers a platform to discuss and address the issues faced by them and help them find solutions. We are hopeful that together with the Piramal Foundation we will be able to not only raise awareness about their adversities but also pave the way forward through viable solutions.”
Supporting the campaign, Akshay Kumar added, “The farmer crisis is the most important issue and we need to address it on high priority. I am glad to be part of this dialogue and am willing to contribute to the cause, to the best of my abilities.”
“Under the given circumstances, it is the need of the hour that we focus our energy on how to find solutions for our farmers and under privileged. Through various initiatives, the Piramal Foundation has focused on providing quality education for children, empowering the young generation to recognise and develop their leadership skills, healthcare for women and access to basic facilities like clean drinking water to villages and midday meals to school children. Through such initiatives, we hope to secure the future of our farmers. I am happy to be associated with NDTV in Cultivating Hope,” added Piramal Group chairman Ajay Piramal.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
