DTH
Tata Sky Guru launched; to feature Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Sadhguru
MUMBAI: Tata Sky has launched a 24X7 ad-free video service providing teachings of spiritual gurus on its interactive platform. Called Tata Sky Gurus, the subscribers can now have access to the wisdom of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Art of Living Foundation), Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (Isha Foundation) and Brahma Kumaris (Brahma Kumari World Spiritual University) from the comfort of their homes.
The exhaustive content for this service is curated by Shemaroo and will be available exclusively on the Tata Sky platform. It will include discourses, satsangs, meditations, interviews, explanation of scriptures in a relatable format, special events and exclusive live feeds of meditation sessions and the ashrams of each guru.
“Curated and targeted content is what today’s consumer asks for. Amidst the cluttered content space, we observed that there was need for a dedicated service for spiritual seekers – people who are looking for spiritual guidance or already follow India’s most popular spiritual Gurus. Tata Sky Gurus is a service where they can have unlimited access to their Guru’s teachings and thoughts, whenever they want. We partnered with Shemaroo to create this service with exclusive and unlimited content including LIVE feeds from the guru’s ashrams,” Tata Sky chief commercial officer Pallavi Puri.
The spiritual gurus will deliver talks and discourses across topics connecting varied human emotions, challenges and complexities of life. These topics delve deep into the understanding of what life is about and are rooted as strongly in mundane and practical matters as they are in inner experience & wisdom. The service aims to cater to subscribers embarking on a journey of spiritual awakening.
Tata Sky Gurus will be the pioneer in providing Live feeds from Sadhguru’s ashram in Coimbatore & Brahma Kumaris ashram in Mount Abu and exclusive guided meditations in Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s voice.
Shemaroo Entertainment director Hiren Gada added, “With the increasing stress and pressure in individuals’ lives, the importance and urgency for spirituality has grown. We believe this is the right time for a service like Tata Sky Gurus to be launched. Indian consumers have a huge appetite for a subject like this and with high quality content now being easily accessible, we hope the audiences will have a rich experience. Shemaroo Entertainment has been an active player in the devotional space and through this service we are adding a new dimension to our offerings.”
Content Highlights:
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
o Exclusive access to guided Meditations in Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s own voice
o Scriptures like Geeta and Upanishads explained by Sri Sri complimented by Satsangs and talks on various topics.
From Sadhguru’s Isha Yoga center:
o Live & exclusive feed of Nadha Aaradhana – a daily (twice a day) meditation from Isha Ashram, Coimbatore.
o Sadhguru’s Presence – A 20-minute meditation where Isha chant of Brahmanand Swaroopa is performed.
o In Conversation with the Mystic – Celebrities talk to Sadhguru across varied topics.
Content on Brahma Kumari:
o Amrut Vela meditation (LIVE & exclusive) – A daily morning meditation broadcast from the Brahma Kumaris headquarters at Mount Abu
o Exclusive, rare and archival footage of senior Dadis including Dadi Janaki & Dadi Gulzar where they talk on various topics
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
