GECs
ZEEL appoints Animesh Kumar as chief people officer
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has appointed Animesh Kumar as the chief people officer (CPO). He will report to ZEEL MD and CEO Punit Goenka.
In his new role, Kumar will be spearheading the human resources function to build a dynamic workplace that attracts the best talent and enables innovative people practices, supporting the growing workforce needs.
The new CPO has also worked with the IDFC Group for nine years engaging in various roles like head of human resources, marketing head of IDFC Bank and CEO of IDFC Foundation. Prior to joining ZEE, he was associated with the Future Group as the chief people & transformation officer wherein he was responsible for driving the internal transformation.
Having over 25 years of experience, Kumar has led the HR function at large scale Indian and MNCs for over 15 years. He has served on boards of various companies and has worked closely with non-profit organisations helping them enhance internal capacity to increase their social impact.
Kumar started his career with Marico as the HR manager and served the organisation for more than five years from June 1993 to December 1998. He has done BA in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce and holds a post graduate diploma degree on PM&IR (Personnel Management and Industrial Relations) in Human Resources from XLRI College, Jamshedpur.
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.
