eNews
Veteran journalist and photographer Madhuri Kotak passes away at the age of 92
Mumbai: Senior journalist, photographer, and co-founder of the Chitralekha Group, Madhuri Kotak, passed away on Thursday in Mumbai at the age of 92. Kotak was the wife of the late Vaju Kotak (founder of the Chitralekha Group). She was the first well-known female photographer in the country.
PM Narendra Modi shared, “Saddened by the demise of Madhuriben from the “Chitralekha” family. Her death is a great loss to the reading world. Prayers for the peace of Sadgat’s soul and condolences to the bereaved family and his large readership…Om Shanti!!”
“ચિત્રલેખા” પરિવારના મધુરીબેનના અવસાનથી દુઃખી છું. એમનું અવસાન વાચક જગત માટે મોટી ખોટ છે. સદ્ગતના આત્માની શાંતિ માટે પ્રાર્થના તથા શોકગ્રસ્ત પરિવાર અને એમના વિશાળ વાચકવર્ગને સાંત્વના…ઓમ શાંતિ !!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 6, 2023
Kotak was an equally competent photographer in the 1960s and 1970s. After the demise of her husband, she has actively taken care of the group’s responsibilities and its most famous magazines, Chitralekha, Bij, and G. With the assistance of the ‘Chitralekha’ team, she elevated the three publications to a higher level.
During the early days of Chitralekha, Vaju Kotak was the editorial leader, writing nearly 80 per cent of the articles on his own. Madhuri Kotak and their loving marriage helped Vaju Kotak extensively in laying the strong foundation of Chitralekha.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
