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Star India elevates Shailja Kejriwal, Harsh Rohatgi
MUMBAI: Star India has promoted creative director Star Plus Shailja Kejriwal and deputy GM Star Vijay and GM Utsav Harsh Rohatgi.
Kejriwal has been made senior creative director – Network and will now be additionally overlooking StarOne, Star Gold and on-air promotions. Rohatgi, on the other hand, has been made general manager networks and will have Star Plus, Star One, Star Gold, Star World and Star Utsav under him in regards to broadcast operations, network planning and presentation. Channel [V] will function as it is with head honcho Amar Deb reporting to Star India EVP content and communications Deepak Segal.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Segal says, “In the past all our energies were focussed on Star Plus, but with Star Gold being spruced up, and Star One picking up, it was essential to have someone to handle the manegerial aspects so as to ensure and administer the channel running functions. With content regulation also becoming a talking point, it is difficult for creative heads to get into all these areas. Shailja will look at the creative aspect of the various channels and Harsh will look at running the channels.”
Segal also stated that this arrangement would give him a chance to address issues that need desperate inputs.
Head of on-air promos Atul Kelkar, Star Gold head Aalif Surti and the creative team of Star One will report to Kejriwal while Star One’s Ravi Menon, head of research Manoj Vidwans, head of operations Karan Singh and head of broadcasting operations and engineering R Balu will be reporting to Rohatgi.
Rohatgi, who is currently based in Chennai, will be relocating to Mumbai in a month and will be involved in the transitioning process of handing over Star Vijay. According to Star officials, it would take them a week to decide who would be replacing Rohatgi.
Interestingly, both senior creative director – network and GM – network are newly created portfolios. The restructuring essentially has come into play with the expansion of Star India with renewed focus on Star One and Star Gold.
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.
