iWorld
‘Zee Family Pack’ unveiled on YouTube TV
Mumbai: Embark on an immersive journey into South Asian entertainment with the much-anticipated launch of Zee’s new video packages, now gracing screens nationwide on YouTube TV. Unveiling the “Zee Family” package, this strategic partnership introduces an impressive selection of 18 premium channels on the YouTube TV platform, dedicated to captivating the diverse and vibrant South Asian community across the United States.
Asia TV USA Ltd and YouTube TV are thrilled to announce the successful launch of 18 channels from Zee Entertainment in the USA. This partnership marks a significant milestone in catering to the diverse needs of the South Asian population in the USA, particularly regional language speakers such as Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi etc, the regional languages have seen tremendous growth in the last decade as per the data released in the 2020 US Census.
This landmark collaboration not only reaffirms the availability of the flagship Hindi general entertainment channel Zee TV, but also introduces a total of 17 additional ZEE channels, offering a rich variety spanning multiple languages. The expanded lineup includes popular channels such as Zee Cinema, &TV, Zee Bangla, Zee Tamil, Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada, Zee Keralam, Zee Marathi, Zee Punjabi, Zee World, and others.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd president of content and international markets Punit Misra, emphasized the strategic significance of the U.S. market within ZEE’s global strategy. “The rising South Asian population in the U.S. not only underscores our commitment but also presents a unique prospect for us to fulfill the evolving content preferences of this expanding demographic in the U.S. The strategic partnership with YouTube TV will enable viewers in USA, access to a vast repertoire of rich, multi-lingual content from India showcasing the Country’s culture and traditions, ensuring an immersive and fulfilling viewing experience for consumers.
This collaboration with ZEE marks a significant stride in delivering a premium suite of channels tailored to the South Asian audience to YouTube TV customers nationwide. Emphasizing the importance of this alliance, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd chief business officer for international business Ashok Namboodiri affirmed, “Our partnership is pivotal in realizing our growth objectives in the U.S., guaranteeing the provision of a diverse range of entertainment options specifically curated for the South Asian audiences subscribing to YouTube TV.”
For more details on our South Asian TV packages on YouTube TV, immerse yourself in the India Family pack experience at https://tv.youtube.com/store. Elevate your entertainment and embrace the diversity!
iWorld
Tech firms tweak office operations amid LPG shortage concerns
Infosys, HCLTech and Cognizant adjust cafeteria services and work policies.
MUMBAI: When geopolitics turns up the heat, even office cafeterias start feeling the burn. Several technology companies in India are adjusting workplace operations and food services as concerns over a nationwide shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) grow following escalating tensions in West Asia. Major IT firms including Cognizant, Infosys and HCLTech have begun rolling out contingency measures to reduce dependence on office cafeterias that rely heavily on commercial LPG.
The disruption stems from rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran after military action by the United States and Israel reportedly led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil and gas supplies. The closure has disrupted the movement of LPG and liquefied natural gas across international markets, triggering concerns about supply constraints and price volatility.
According to a report by The Times of India, Cognizant has advised employees to bring their own meals to office where possible to reduce reliance on office cafeterias dependent on LPG based cooking.
The company has reportedly told staff that it is preparing for potential disruptions driven by supply prioritisation, price fluctuations and pressure on vendor networks.
As part of contingency planning, Cognizant is identifying alternative food vendors that do not rely on LPG. These include kitchens using induction based or solar powered cooking systems.
The company is also exploring partnerships with cloud kitchens that operate on electric or solar power to ensure uninterrupted food supply in case conventional cooking gas availability worsens.
Additionally, Cognizant is evaluating the possibility of expanding work from home or hybrid arrangements for non critical roles, partly to reduce commuting exposure if fuel prices rise sharply due to global energy disruptions.
Meanwhile, HCLTech allowed employees at its Chennai office to work from home on March 12 and March 13 after cafeteria vendors were unable to operate because of the LPG shortage.
Several food service vendors at the campus reportedly suspended operations as they struggled to secure cooking gas supplies, prompting the company to permit staff to work remotely for the two days.
Infosys has also issued internal advisories across multiple locations, including its campuses in Bengaluru and Chennai.
The company informed employees in Bengaluru that cafeteria services would continue but with reduced menu options due to concerns around commercial LPG availability.
As part of the temporary adjustments, live food counters have been suspended, and employees have been encouraged to bring home cooked food while the situation evolves.
While LPG shortages in India remain a developing situation, the measures taken by these technology firms highlight how global geopolitical disruptions can ripple through unexpected corners of the economy, even the humble office lunch.
For companies with large campuses and thousands of employees relying on daily cafeteria services, cooking fuel shortages can quickly turn into an operational challenge. Until global supply chains stabilise, many workplaces may find themselves rethinking everything from food sourcing to flexible work policies.
