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Sandeep Unnithan appointed as editor of News9 Plus
Mumbai: TV9 Network has announced the appointment of former India Today managing editor Sandeep Unnithan as the editor of News9 Plus, the recently announced video magazine OTT service by the network.
In this role, Unnithan will be responsible for all day-to-day news and editorial reportage at News9 Plus, for rich perspectives, narratives, and debates in a video on demand format, said the media company in a statement. “He will report to TV9 Network CEO Barun Das and TV9 Network group editor B V Rao,” it added.
Unnithanr bings with him a wealth of editorial experience with in-depth reporting on defence and strategic affairs. He is the author of “Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11” and the co-author of “Operation X” – a non-fiction book on India’s covert Naval operations during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
“With Sandeep on board, his rich experience in writing and editing long form stories will play out on the richness of our editorial content,” said Barun Das CEO TV9 Network. “Sandeep will add gravitas, diversity and immersive storytelling that the English news audience deserves. We are confident that quality content will attract quality subscribers. At News9 Plus, we are going to make content a ‘want’ and not just a ‘need’. You would ‘want’ to keep coming back.”
“This seems like the idea of the decade – where my past experience of long form reportage and storytelling for an evolved audience converge in a future-ready OTT avatar. News9 Plus is the future and I’m excited to help shape it,” said Sandeep Unnithan.
“News9 Plus needs an editor who understands the pulse of the English-speaking audience – what we define as the GenFlix,” said TV9 Network group editor BV Rao. “The content that GenFlix would like to watch and eventually pay for will define News9 Plus as a differentiated news product. Sandeep and his team will drive that content differentiation for GenFlix.”
TV9 Network has made another key hire for News9 Plus in Sandhya Ravishankar, award winning journalist from the south, who specializes in investigation. She won the Ramnath Goenka award in 2018 for her seven year-long reportage on beach sand mining.
Aditya, who has earlier worked with CNN News 18, Times Now and Republic TV, will man the intersection of internal security, terrorism and diplomacy at News9 Plus.
News9 Plus will launch at the end of March 2022 on Web, Android and iOS marketplaces. Integrations on connected TVs and smart devices will follow soon thereafter, said the statement.
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.
