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TV Today Network plans IPO by year end
NEW DELHI: The Aroon Purie-controlled TV Today Network is giving finishing touches to a draft prospectus to be filed shortly with the Securities Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) for the company’s maiden public offering.
The company, which looks after the running of the popular Aaj Tak news channel and its English language sibling Headlines Today, is aiming at raising between Rs 1300 million and Rs 1500 million from the market, according to Mumbai-based sources in the capital market.
However, it is still not clear at the moment how much would be offered to the public and by what quantum the promoter(s)’s holding would come down post the initial public offer (IPO). The market is abuzz with news that TV Today Network would soon be starting road shows in about 10 cities, including the four metros – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, to create an awareness amongst the public and the investor community about its IPO.
Merchant bankers JM Morgan Stanley are the lead managers for the IPO that is being planned to hit the market around the third week of December, coinciding with the festive season. The procedure is that after filing the draft prospectus, the formal listing can be done slightly less than a month after that. SEBI generally takes three weeks from the date of filing the papers to complete its scrutiny.
Market sources also indicated that apart from the Bombay Stock Exchange, the TV Today Network scrip may be listed on some of the regional stock exchanges too. However, a final decision on this is yet to be taken by the lead managers and the company concerned.
As per information available, ICICI and the Bharti group hold minority stakes in TV Today Network with the latter’s shareholding being 10 per cent. According to market sources, TV Today has shortlisted a public relations company, Integral PR, to undertake some publicity work relating to its IPO. In the race for this account were two other agencies, including Mumbai-based Sampark.
In the recent past, another media company that went public was BAG Films, promoted by the husband-wife duo of Member of Parliament Rajiv Shukla and Anurradha Prasad. The company had offered 25 per cent to the public with the issue size being about Rs 140 million. The issue was over subscribed by eight times.
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.
