Executive Dossier
Bihar turns centre stage as India News Manch 2025 fuels poll fire
MUMBAI: Democracy had its loudest drumroll in Patna as India News Manch 2025 lit up Hotel Maurya with a day-long spectacle of fiery speeches, charged debates, and political one-upmanship. Billed as Bihar’s grandest political conclave yet, the event didn’t just host discussions, it set the narrative for the state’s fiercely awaited 2025 assembly elections.
From the opening mantrochchar by Pandit Dr. Ranjit Narayan Tiwari to the final curtain call, the conclave was a political marathon that gripped audiences both in Patna and nationwide. The dais was nothing short of a power parade: Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, veteran voices Ravi Shankar Prasad and Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, challenger-in-chief Tejashwi Yadav, strategist Prashant Kishor, and a chorus of leaders including Mukesh Sahani, Upendra Kushwaha, Ashok Choudhary, and Shambhavi Choudhary.
Each session packed in headlines of its own. The debate titled “क्या PK का परचम लहराएगा?” turned into a spirited battle over Prashant Kishor’s political roadmap. The NDA vs INDIA clash lived up to its billing, with sparks flying as party representatives went head-to-head. And Sachchidanand Rai’s session, rooted in his IIT and industrialist background, struck a chord as he spotlighted youth, industry, and Bihar’s developmental trajectory.
But the Manch wasn’t just politics, it was culture too. Bhojpuri stars Ritesh Pandey and Gunjan Singh brought the flavour of Bihar’s art and entertainment into the mix, reminding the audience that the state’s identity is as much about music and cinema as it is about manifestos and mandates.
“This conclave shaped narratives and presented Bihar’s politics in its raw, unfiltered form,” said India News managing editor for input Rakesh Singh adding that Patna had never before seen such a convergence of power and ideology. Echoing this, Dr. Aishwarya Pandit Sharma, Founder of Itv Foundation, called it “a democratic celebration like no other,” emphasising how the conclave connected citizens directly with decision-makers.
With India News Manch 2025 drawing over a dozen heavyweight leaders and thousands of engaged viewers, the conclave has firmly cemented Patna as the crucible of India’s electoral pulse, a place where not just Bihar’s, but the nation’s political future is being scripted.
MUMBAI: Game faces on, pressure high India’s gaming ambitions are levelling up. Good Game, billed as the world’s first as-live global gaming reality show, has officially launched in India with a bold mission: to crown the country’s first Global Gaming Superstar.
Blending esports with mainstream entertainment, the show brings together competitive gaming, creativity and on-camera performance in a format that tests more than just joystick skills. Contestants will be judged on gameplay, screen presence and their ability to perform under pressure, reflecting how gaming has evolved from pastime to profession and pop culture currency.
Fronting the show are three high-profile ambassadors: actor and entrepreneur Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Indian cricket star Rishabh Pant, and gaming creator Ujjwal Chaurasia. The winner will take home Rs 1 crore ($100,000) among the largest prize pools for any Indian reality show along with the chance to represent India on a global stage.
Backed by a planned annual investment of up to Rs 100 crore, Good Game is also courting brand partners, promising a minimum reach of 500 million among India’s core youth audience. The creators position the show as a bridge between entertainment and interactive culture, offering long-format content, community engagement and commercial scale.
Auditions are now open to Indian citizens aged 18 and above, inviting amateur and professional gamers, creators and performers alike. Shortlisted candidates will be called for in-person auditions in Mumbai on 14 and 15 February, and in Delhi on 28 February and 1 March 2026.
With big money, big names and even bigger ambition, Good Game signals a shift in how India views gaming not just as play, but as performance, profession and prime-time spectacle.
