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Sushanto dives headlong into Sahara business
NEW DELHI: The 20-something Sushanto Roy, who took over the reins of Sahara India Group’s media business from Sumit Roy recently, has begun in all earnest, meeting various departmental heads and getting to know the business ventures better.
Over the last few days, Sushanto, son of promoter and managing director Subroto Roy, is reported to be camping in Delhi with an aim of “getting to know the business activities better,” according to group sources.
The Delhi University-educated scion of the airlines-to-real estate-to para banking-to-media and entertainment Sahara Group, also sat through presentations made by the group’s newly-started news channels, the Sahara Rashtriya national news channel and one for Uttar Pradesh, which is streamed locally for smaller cities of the state.
“He endeared himself immediately to everybody when he requested that he should not be addressed as `sir’ by colleagues,” an employee working with the Sahara news team said.
However, during meetings Sushanto, who has been dabbling in acting — he starred in the lead role in Mission Fateh on Sahara Manoranjan — also made it clear that he would not tolerate nonsense and would like to be as hands-on on the job as his father, company sources said.
Sushanto takes over at a time when the Sahara India Media and Communication, the division under which the group’s media businesses are carried out, is attempting to chart out an ambitious path of having over 30 region-specific TV news channels. The channel’s effort is to tap the non-urban advertising market and leveraging expansion through its presence in the print medium in all these regions.
Though Sushanto’s arrival is being seen as part of a succession plan, his father Subroto Roy would like to see it in an another way. “The decision was mine to bring him here, but it would not be proper to call it a succession plan,” the elder Roy said. He added that it’s the group’s practice not to get outsiders at top level and also not to have rookies from the promoter’s family heading business divisions.
Roy explained, “Sumit Roy was needed more in the headquarters at Lucknow for business reasons and we thought it’d be unwise to get somebody from the outside to succeed him. At the same time, we did not want somebody young and inexperienced to take control (of the media business). Since Sushanto has been learning about the job for a few years and also loves acting, we thought it would be best to bring him in now. People know him in the group and he is also not a rank newcomer.”
It now needs to be seen whether the son is truly ‘a chip off the old block’, the real heir of a man who single-handedly built up a huge business empire having started in Gorakhpur and Lucknow with a few thousand of rupees.
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.
