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Pankaj Sethi is new CEO of Mukta Arts
MUMBAI: Film mogul Subhash Ghai’s media and entertainment company Mukta Arts will shortly have a new face at the helm.
With the aim of accelerating the diversification of its media business, the company has announced the appointment of Pankaj Sethi as its CEO from 14 March.
An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Sethi has worked in diverse companies like Nimbus Communications, Microland, Brooke Bond(Levers), Johnson & Johnson and RHL- P&G. He brings with him a great deal of experience in the fields of television marketing, content development, production, creative execution, new media and the Internet.
Muta Arts’ MD and chairman Subhash Ghai says, “The appointment of Pankaj Sethi as CEO- Mukta Arts, reflects our continued commitment to add professionalism and bring managerial excellence to our businesses. We can look forward to Mukta Arts accelerating its development, into a diversified media company.”
At Nimbus, Sethi was the executive director. Later on, as CEO of Microland’s Media2India, he pioneered the groups early entry into Internet advertising.
Mukta Arts went public three years ago and its aim has been to evolve and also introduce a greater degree of professionalisation in the film and entertainment industry. From films, the company spread its wings into television content, film distribution and media education. Its Whistling Woods institute, set up to provide trained professionals for the media and entertainment industry, is rapidly underway on a 20 acre campus in Goregaon. Its next film which is David Dhawan’s Ek Aur Ek Gyarah, is scheduled for a 28 March release.
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.
