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Universal McCann’s Chintamani Rao to join India TV as CEO
MUMBAI: It’s action time at the Rajat Sharma promoted India TV once again. Universal McCann Integrated Communications president Chintamani Rao is set to join the TV company as chief executive officer (CEO).
Confirming the development to Indiantelevision.com, Sharma says Rao is expected to join the company early next month.
When quizzed on the need of CEO after a completion of one year, he added, “As we have grown and have been expanding, on this road of growth we will be facing many more challenges. India TV indeed would need an experienced and rich hand to advance the further growth of the channel.”
According to him, “Chintamani Rao is the best professional amongst the many we were in search of. Secondly, he has been in the media for many decades and he comprehends both the facets of media business.”
In the same vein, Rao, who had a great time in the advertising arena, is looking forward in the news space, which is full of action.
He continues, “I have handled every facet of the advertising business in the last 30 odd years. In this very road, I see no new mountains to climb, at least none that beckon me. Television is full of action, and the news space is growing rapidly. I look forward to a great deal to learn and do there.”
Rao who has been associated with McCann, was responsible for all the non-advertising businesses of the group including Result McCann (direct marketing and event management). Rao in his 31 years of advertising career has also been associated with other brand names such as O&M and Lintas.
Sharma had launched his news and current affairs channel, India TV last year, which officially kicked off on 15 August. As the channel has completed a year in the news segment, the company is now spreading its wings in the regional space. It is also slated to launch a Gujarati news channel, which is targeting a December launch.
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.
