GECs
NGC’s ‘Mission Udaan’ gets airborne with 60,000 entries
MUMBAI: With over 60,000 entries received for National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) latest localisation initiative Mission Udaan: Inside the Indian Air Force, the selection process took off in full throttle, yesterday. NGC claims to have received 60,000 entries across the country.
At the Western Naval Command Ground in Mumbai, 2000 short listed candidates were invited to try out on whether they had the mettle to be one of five individuals who will fly with the elitist of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The prize will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to fly at supersonic speeds in a fighter jet and experience life of an air force pilot for an entire month.
As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com Mission Udaan is the third Mission property following Mission Everest in 2003 and Mission Mars last year. It allows not only the viewer but also the advertiser to get more closely involved with the brand.
Dwelling on the initiative NGC senior VP content and communication Dilshad Master said, “Based on the tremendous response we received with regard to the call for entries, this biggest yet wholly India based programming initiative has set off on the right foot. For the first time ever Indian audiences will get a unique glimpse into the life and science behind military aviation of the fourth largest Air Force in the world. Mission Udaan is an ongoing effort in broad basing the channel’s appeal and ability to produce programmes that are locally relevant, more topical and more relatable.”
The selection process covers three cities (Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore) and targets youthful candidates between 18-30 years. NGC states that with so many entries received it was a challenge to select the final 2000 participants per city, who have been invited to try out on basis of their Body Mass Index (BMI). Of the 2000 a further 500 have been short-listed and the first 300 to register at the venue would be given an opportunity to fulfill their dream of flying in a super sonic fighter aircraft.
In the first round candidates have to prove their physical mettle by doing monkey crawls, to running backwards, hopping and a 50-meter sprint. The list of candidates will further be downsized to 90.
The qualified participants go into the second round. Here they will face problem solving puzzles and strategy in groups of nine. From here only 30 will qualify for the third round That will be an exam testing the mental abilities of the candidates of which only 15 will remain.
The final 15 will face a judge’s panel for a final interview in the crucial fourth round. That round will determine the 10 candidates from each city. The fifth and final round takes place in Bangalore where there will be medical tests and IAF training. The final five to experience the life of a pilot in the IAF will be chosen.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
