GECs
Zee Entertainment undertakes national-level CSR drive for Covid2019 cause
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) announced a national-level CSR drive towards enhancing the country’s healthcare infrastructure, further strengthening its fight against Covid2019.
In line with its CSR Policy, approved by the board, the company will support state governments and local governing bodies with critical interventions across 10 cities viz Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Chennai.
The company will be utilising the sanctioned CSR budget (for the fight against Covid2019) to provide the following:
· Ambulances – 200+ ambulances to be donated to the municipal corporations (46 ambulances have already been donated to BMC).
· Humidifiers – 50 high flow heated respiratory humidifiers to be donated to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
· PPE (personal protective equipment) Kits – 40,000+ kits to be donated to municipal corporations across the Nation.
· Portable ICUs – 100+ ICU units to be built with state-of-the-art tech support across the Nation.
· Daily meals – 600,000 meals to be provided to 10,000 migrants.
With the support of Maharashtra state government, the company has flagged off the national level CSR drive against Covid2019 with Mumbai, in the presence of chief minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, minister for tourism, environment and protocol Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray and ZEEL managing director and chief executive officer Punit Goenka, by donating 46 ambulances and 50 high flow heated respiratory humidifiers to BMC. This support will help build capacity and enhance the existing healthcare infrastructure in Mumbai.
The company will approach and work with all state governments and local governing bodies across the nation, to formulate an action plan that is structured on fulfilling the immediate requirements to fight the pandemic.
Over and above the support towards healthcare relief, ZEEL has also partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation to provide 600,000 daily meals which will support 10,000 migrants across the Nation for a month.
Goenka said, “The effects of the Covid2019 pandemic in India has been far-reaching and calamitous for vulnerable communities. It is important that we stand up during such times and step up our efforts as responsible members of society. ZEEL is committed to continuing its strong support towards the government, with a key focus on strengthening the overall healthcare infrastructure, to save our nation from this pandemic. We are also significantly increasing our efforts on-ground to provide relief to migrants across the country. We will continue to do our best to serve the nation in these challenging times.”
Aaditya Thackeray said, “The scale of this pandemic is enormous, and the government of Maharashtra is working round the clock to enhance the modular medical facilities and support our frontline workers. Every step ahead is a successful step towards beating the current humanitarian crisis. We would like to thank Punit Goenka and ZEEL for their support in this time of need towards Covid2019 response and relief.”
BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal added, “We are dealing with challenging times where being ahead of the virus is key to fighting the war against Covid2019. We have implemented several path-breaking innovative measures across the city to curb the increase in the number of cases and are ramping up our medical facilities. We are glad to receive this support from ZEEL that will further strengthen our efforts while also ensuring the well-being of the citizens. It is humbling to see organisations such as ZEEL coming forward and fighting this crisis together with us.”
Earlier, ZEEL had announced financial support to over 5000 daily wage earners working directly or indirectly with the company. The company had also encouraged all its 3400+ employees to contribute towards PM CARES Fund. The amount generated was matched by ZEE, and the collective proceeds were routed to PM CARES Fund.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
