Celebrating the CEOs behind India's News TV business

The story of India's television news industry cannot be told through editors alone.

Behind every successful network has stood a leadership team making hundreds of decisions that viewers never see; where to invest, which technologies to adopt, how to respond to regulatory changes, how to attract talent, how to diversify revenue streams and how to prepare for the next wave of disruption.

These are the CEOs who negotiated carriage deals when distribution determined viewership, convinced advertisers that news was a premium environment, invested in technology long before it became fashionable, expanded brands beyond television and prepared organisations for a world where audiences no longer consumed news on just one screen.

 While editors shaped the editorial voice, these business leaders built the institutions that allowed journalism to scale. 

In the first part of this series, we celebrate executives who represent that transformation. Each led differently. Each inherited a different set of challenges. Yet every one of them helped redefine what it means to lead a television news organisation in modern India. 

The names are presented in alphabetical order.

Avinash Kaul: Thinking Beyond the Television Screen 

Few business leaders have influenced as many facets of India's television news ecosystem as Avinash Kaul. 

Across multiple leadership roles, Kaul consistently challenged the notion that television channels should think of themselves merely as broadcasters. Under his stewardship, distribution, digital integration, strategic partnerships, audience expansion and long-term brand building became as important as ratings. 

His leadership reflected a larger shift taking place across the industry, one in which television brands increasingly evolved into integrated media businesses. Rather than reacting to disruption, Kaul often anticipated it, encouraging organisations to invest in capabilities that would remain relevant well beyond linear television. 

In many ways, his career mirrors the industry's own journey, from appointment viewing to an always-on, multi-platform news environment.

Kaul has recently released his book The Next Mountain, which explores the setbacks, uncertainties and difficult decisions that shaped his professional journey. He is also expected to announce his new venture soon. 

Avinash Pandey: Building Institutions That Endure

Every industry has leaders who chase quarterly numbers and then there are those who build institutions that outlast market cycles. Avinash Pandey firmly belongs to the latter category.

Over the course of his career, Pandey earned a reputation for building businesses with equal emphasis on commercial growth, operational discipline and organisational stability. His influence extended across distribution, advertising, programming strategy and business operations, helping strengthen some of India's largest broadcast networks during periods of intense competition.

Peers frequently describe him as a patient institution builder, someone who believed leadership is measured not merely by individual decisions, but by the teams, systems and culture one leaves behind. 

That philosophy has made him one of the most respected business leaders in Indian broadcasting. 

He is currently serving as Secretary General of the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF).

Hersh Bhandari: Driving Growth in a Hyper-Competitive Market

Few sectors test commercial leadership as relentlessly as television news. Margins remain under pressure, competition is intense and audience loyalties can shift overnight. 

It is in this demanding environment that Hersh Bhandari established himself as one of the industry's most accomplished business leaders.

Known for his sharp understanding of advertising markets, client relationships and revenue strategy, Bhandari helped strengthen business operations while ensuring that commercial priorities complemented editorial ambitions rather than competing with them. 

His tenure demonstrated that sustained growth in television news is rarely accidental, it demands constant reinvention, disciplined execution and an ability to anticipate where both advertisers and audiences are headed next. 

He is currently serving as CEO of BluerockIndia, an investment and media firm.

M.K. Anand: The Institution Builder

Among India's broadcast executives, M.K. Anand occupies a unique position. 

Across a career spanning several decades, Anand became synonymous with institution building. His understanding of distribution, programming economics, advertising markets and organisational leadership helped shape some of India's most influential broadcast businesses.

Perhaps his most enduring contribution, however, lies in the leaders he mentored. Many senior executives across India's media industry today either worked directly with Anand or have been influenced by the management philosophies he championed. 

Few CEOs can claim to have shaped not only successful companies but also generations of industry leadership.

Anand is currently engaged in advisory roles, while industry sources indicate that he may soon unveil a new venture. 

Varun Kohli: Reimagining the Modern News Business

 As media consumption fragmented across platforms, television networks faced a defining question: could they remain television companies, or did they need to evolve into media brands? 

 Varun Kohli was among the executives who recognised that distinction early. 

Throughout his career, he advocated an integrated approach that brought together broadcast, digital, consumer engagement and commercial innovation within a single business strategy. Rather than treating digital as an extension of television, Kohli viewed it as central to the future of news consumption. 

His leadership reflected a reality that now defines the industry: audiences no longer distinguish between television and digital. They simply follow trusted news brands wherever they are. 

His next professional move is expected to be announced soon. 

Vikas Khanchandani: Reinventing Commercial Leadership 

The relationship between advertisers and news organisations has evolved dramatically over the past decade.

Vikas Khanchandani has been among the executives who successfully navigated that transformation. 

With deep expertise in sales strategy, advertiser partnerships and media monetisation, he helped news businesses evolve from selling airtime to delivering integrated communication solutions. His journey reflects the evolution of commercial leadership itself, from revenue management to strategic business development. 

He is currently Co-founder and Director at eSENDIT and also serves as Strategic Advisor at MiQ. 

The evolution of India's television news industry continues to be shaped by a remarkable group of business leaders whose influence extends well beyond their own organisations. 

Dinesh Bhatia, Group CEO, India Today Group; Raktim Das, CEO, Zee Media Corporation Ltd; Sumanta Datta, CEO, ABP Network; Barun Das, MD & CEO, TV9 Network; Rahul Kanwal, Editor-in-Chief and CEO, NDTV and Ashish Sehgal, CEO, Times Network, are among the other distinguished leaders who continue to make significant contributions to India's television news business.

In the forthcoming parts of this series, we will profile these leaders and examine the role each has played in shaping the news broadcasting industry.