News Broadcasting
Prashant Sanwal appointed head of Zee’s Alpha channels
More on executive movements in television land. Prashant Sanwal, former vice-president SET MAX, and till recently one of the four directors on the as yet stillborn MAK (Manoranjan, Aur Kya) Network, has joined Subhash Chandra’s Zee Group.
Sanwal took charge yesterday as director of all Zee’s regional language Alpha channels and will report to Sandeep Goyal, group broadcasting CEO, Zee Telefilms Ltd (ZTL).
Zee has said that it will be devoting a greater focus on the Alpha channels and Sanwal’s appointment indicates just that. Sanwal will be looking at the Alpha channels from both a programming and marketing perspective, it is learnt.
Sanwal’s appointment comes in tandem with ZTL’s announcement yesterday that it has been given approval by the information and broadcasting ministry to uplink four additional channels directly from India. These channels are Kaveri (Kannada), Bharati (Tamil), Alpha Krishna and Alpha Urdu. It needs noting that while Zee has secured uplinking permission for Alpha Krishna (Telugu?) and Alpha Urdu, no such channels exist as yet on the Alpha platform.
“In three to four-months’ time we will be re-launching the current Bharathi and Kaveri channels as Alpha Tamil and Alpha Kannada which will soon go off-air for the make-over,” Goyal was quoted as saying in an official release yesterday. Currently there are four Alpha channels – Gujarati, Marathi, Bangla and Punjabi.
“We will also in due course examine the launch of Alpha Telugu and will evaluate our options in the Urdu space,” Goyal was quoted as saying.
With the I&B ministry’s clearance, ZTL has received permission to uplink 10 channels from India through the teleport of Essel Shyam Communication Ltd at Noida.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
