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‘Time to move on,’ says Purohit
NEW DELHI: Change, they say, is the only truth. And Zee TV president Apurva Purohit felt that it was time for a switchover, time to move on
“There are times when priorities in life change and that’s exactly what has happened,” Purohit told indiantelevision.com a day after it was officially announced yesterday by the Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms that she has resigned from the company.
Pointing out that her decision had nothing to do with any internal company differences, she said, “I must admit that I have enjoyed my stint at Zee – rather am still doing so (her last working day is 31 January). I must also emphasise that I have learnt a lot during my stay here, especially the freedom that was granted to me at the work place.”
Asked about the lessons she has learnt as the head of Zee Telefilms flagship channel, Purohit, a former advertising professional at Lodestar, said, “Even at (FCB Ulka’s media unit) Lodestar, I was part of the media space only, but at Zee I learnt the important lessons of content creation and management. At the end
of the day, it is content that matters the most.”
Having lost the No. 1 slot to Star Plus few years back, Zee TV has been trying various permutations and combinations in its programing strategy, but was not getting it right. It was only over the last 12 months or so that the game plan started showing some results.
For its second quarter (ended September), Zee Telefilms reported advertising revenue of Rs 1,458 million, signifying a jump of 2.4 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last fiscal.
As Purohit pointed out, Zee TV would end the financial year making a substantial turnaround in advertising revenue.
In a conference call with the investor community in October this year, Purohit, while enlisting the shows that were doing well for Zee TV, had pointed out, “In the last six months, we have done a lot of things like launching Chousath Panne, Awaaz and, of course, Astitva, which is growing from strength to strength. Really this has translated into us getting very high numbers with the upper income SEC AB woman. As a result, a lot of our FMCG clients are back with us. Now for the next quarter and the next half year what we are really planning to do is to consolidate viewership amongst this upper income high value consuming female audiences as well as drawing in the masses.”
Though during the same interaction with investors, Zee Tele CMD Subhash Chandra had admitted that the programming cost has gone up a bit (in Zee Networks’ case it is five per cent in the second quarter), he sought to convey that it was all worth it. “Having cracked the SEC AB section of the female audiences, now we are going after SEC C and D category in female audiences. And once we crack that, then, probably, we will go into (cracking) male audiences step by step,” he had explained.
Having been part of such strategies, Purohit today feels that she’d leave Zee “with a bagfull of lessons” and on an amicable note.
What does the future hold for her?
Refusing to divulge much details, she, however, said, “I have a couple of options in the media space only and would take a final view sometime in January.”
Purohit also laughed off industry rumours that she may join hands with former Zee group broadcasting CEO Sandeep Goyal in his new venture Dentsu Communications Pvt Ltd. saying, “Well, there are several such rumours floating round and I’d let them be without commenting on them.”
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.
