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Star brings Gurjeev Singh Kapoor home to head distribution
MUMBAI: The industry has been abuzz about TV distribution veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor shifting base back to India. Well, that buzz is indeed turning out to be true. Last evening, an announcement was made in the Star India office in Mumbai stating that the London-based head of international business at the company would be leaving Blighty to come back to Bharat, a source at Star said.
Gurjeev’s return clearly indicates Star India CEO Uday Shankar’s intent to have a senior professional who understands and has solid relationships in India’s complicated distribution sector. One of the main planks of Uday being able to do well and get a return on the high prices he has agreed to cough up for the IPL for the next five years is affiliate revenues. And bringing the affable but tough-as-nails Gurjeev on board will greatly strengthen the distribution team by attracting executives from other companies and help Uday get closer to the target.
Sources in the industry at indicate that Gurjeev will also play an important role in licensing and distributing the global rights for the IPL, which Star has acquired.
Gurjeev was earlier the business head of SET Discovery and later CEO of the dissolved joint venture Star DEN Media Services. He was also the COO of Star Den-Zee Turner joint venture Media Pro before making a shift to London to look after Star’s international business.
The company had earlier this year hired a former Marico executive Sridhar Balakrishnan to head the distribution of Star’s extensive bouquet of 53 odd channels.
Industry sources indicate that Star has been asking anywhere between a 15-30 per cent hike in revenues from distribution affiliates, signing both fixed fee and RIO aka à la carte deals, a process that has been taking time for distribution platform operators who have been loath to agree to the hike in content costs.
Clearly, Kapoor and team should prove themselves up to the task to speed up the process.
Please watch this space for further news.
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Comment: The rise and rise of Uday Shankar
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.
