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Optimystix appoints Rajesh Bahl as director and group CEO
MUMBAI: Optimystix, the leading production house in both Fiction and Non-Fiction programming, appointed Rajesh Bahl as the Director and Group Chief Executive Officer.
In his role as Director & Group CEO, Rajesh will not only be responsible for Optimystix’s growth strategy but will also help the company accelerate its next phase of growth and transformation from a bespoke TV production company to creating and producing digital content and venturing into feature film business.
"Till date our focus as a company has been in growing our TV production business which has shown credible growth YOY and now to create more significant value and harness the growth across 3 big content spaces i.e. TV, OTT & Feature Films we need someone to guide us strategically and be the torchbearer of our next round of growth. In order to reimagine and reinvent Optimystix I have invited Rajesh Bahl to lead this initiative for us," said Optimystix Entertainment chairman and managing director Vipul. D. Shah.
Bahl is a senior M&E & Digital business leader with over 20 years of experience of being at the helm in globally acclaimed media companies, namely Times Group, Star TV, Eros International, Universal Music Group and Sony Music, and has been instrumental in establishing their digital & content businesses.
“I am very excited to join hands with Optimystix at this time when the demand for premium content is on massive upsurge and is being consumed by various audience segment across screens, across platforms, across languages, across genres and across story-telling formats which in turn is fuelling demand from the TV broadcasters, OTT services, and feature film business alike. This presents a great opportunity for Optimystix to expand businesses furthermore”, said, Bahl.
Before joining Optimystix Rajesh Bahl was the Founding CEO, of Times Studio, A Times of India Group (BCCL) entity where he played a pivotal role in setting up Times Studio business. Under his leadership Times Studio grew from 0-60+ member team, produced few marquee original shows for MX Player and have executed many digital video campaigns for multiple brands and advertisers.
In his previous stint as the COO at Eros International, he overlooked the development and digitization plans of the digital arm of Eros International. He successfully built and launched www.erosnow.com, India’s first premium OTT service and was involved in driving the product, content & marketing strategy for the same apart from being responsible for feature film marketing.
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.
