2025 Wrap: TV news leadership movements that shaped Indian broadcast media 

From newsroom corner offices to boardrooms and industry bodies, 2025 proved to be a defining year for leadership churn in India’s television news ecosystem. The year saw high-profile editorial appointments, CEO transitions, revenue leadership reshuffles, and marquee exits across legacy broadcasters, digital-first networks, and public service media. 

From Rahul Kanwal’s move to NDTV to senior leadership changes at ABP, Network18, Zee Media, TV9, and Prasar Bharati’s headline-making deal with Sudhir Chaudhary, the year reflected both consolidation and reinvention. Here’s a comprehensive year-ender roundup of the most significant people movements that shaped Indian TV news in 2025:

NDTV

Rahul Kanwal as Editor-in-Chief and CEO

After recently resigning from the post of News Director of TV Today Network (TVTN) and Executive Director of Business Today, renowned journalist Rahul Kanwal has now joined the team of NDTV. On May 26, he officially took over as Editor-in-Chief and CEO. His tenure at India Today Group ended on May 23.

Kanwal is a well-known name in the world of journalism, who has more than 25 years of experience in this field. Till now he was working as News Director in India Today and Aaj Tak and has also been the Executive Director of Business Today. Apart from this, he has played senior editorial roles in organisations like Headlines Today and Zee News. May 23 was his last working day in TV Today Network.

Sanjay Pugalia as Head – Corporate Brand Custodian, Adani Group

Adani Group has appointed Sanjay Pugalia as the Head – Corporate Brand Custodian (CBC). The appointment is effective May 26, 2025. Pugalia reports to Pranav Adani.

Sanjay succeeds Aman Singh, who now focuses exclusively on his responsibilities as President and Head – Strategy and Chairman’s Office, and as Convenor of the APEX. Since May 2024, Aman had been leading both the Chairman’s Office and the CBC.

Koreel Lahiri as Chief of Strategy and Innovation

NDTV named Koreel Lahiri as its Chief of Strategy and Innovation. He brings more than 25 years of experience across Asia’s content and capital markets, with strong expertise in strategy and a deep understanding of how the media industry is evolving.

Lahiri has previously held senior roles in financial journalism at Bloomberg TV India and CNBC TV18, worked on corporate strategy at The Times Group, and served as Investment Director – Asia at MDIF, where he led regional investments.

Shiv Aroor joins NDTV as Managing Editor after India Today tenure

Senior journalist Shiv Aroor joined NDTV as Managing Editor in 2025, following an 18-year-long association with the India Today Group. Earlier, Aroor had announced his departure from India Today, where he played a pivotal role in on-ground reporting from war zones, political corridors, and major national events.

During his nearly two-decade-long stint at India Today, Aroor established himself as one of the most credible voices in conflict and strategic affairs reporting, contributing extensively to the group’s television and digital news coverage.

Rahul Shaw to lead experiential business

NDTV has announced the appointment of Rahul Shaw to lead its experiential business, signalling a timely move into India’s fast-evolving, experience-driven economy.

With over 30 years of deep leadership across print, television, GECs, sports, radio, and brand activations, his career spans leadership roles at Star India, Zee Entertainment, SET India, Turner International, NDTV Imagine, INX News, and Bennett Coleman & Co.

Vivek Makker as National Revenue Head

Vivek Makker has rejoined NDTV as the National Revenue Head – NDTV India, according to his latest LinkedIn update. He took charge of his new role in September 2025. In his post, he expressed his excitement about returning to the network.

Before making his comeback to NDTV, Makker was associated with News Nation as Executive Vice-President, a position he held for over three years.

Samiksha Sikka as Revenue Head, NDTV Digital

Samiksha Sikka has been appointed as Revenue Head at NDTV Digital.

Prior to this, Samiksha Sikka was with Network18 Media & Investments Limited for over four years. She last held the role of National Sales Head for Moneycontrol.com, News18.com and Firstpost.

In the past, she has worked with news sites like Times of India, Navbharat Times and Maharashtra Times, among others.

Zee Media Corporation Ltd / Zee News

Raktim Das as Chief Executive Officer

Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) appointed Raktim Das as the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Key Managerial Personnel, effective November 4, 2025. The decision was approved by the company’s Board of Directors at its meeting held on November 3.

Prior to this appointment, Das served as Chief Growth Officer (Digital and Broadcasting) at TV9 Network, in addition to leading the network’s branded content division, Studio9. His last working day at TV9 Network was October 31.

Karan Abhishek Singh exits as Chief Executive Officer

Karan Abhishek Singh moved on from his role as Chief Executive Officer at Zee Media Corporation Limited after a tenure of nearly 15 months, having taken charge in July 2024.

Before joining Zee Media, he played a defining leadership role at Network18 Media & Investments Limited, where he spent more than five years. As CEO of Hindi News (TV & Digital) from April 2021 to May 2024, he helmed a cluster of seven news channels along with the country’s leading Hindi news platform, News18 India.

Earlier, as CEO – Languages, he led eight regional language channels, expanding the network’s footprint across India’s southern, western and eastern markets.

Rahul Sinha and Zee News’ prime-time show DNA

Senior journalist Rahul Sinha led Zee News’ prime-time show DNA during the year.

Times Network

Ashish Sehgal as CEO, Times TV Network and CGO, Times Media & Entertainment

Ashish Sehgal announced via LinkedIn that he has assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Times TV Network and Chief Growth Officer (CGO) of Times Media & Entertainment. He works under the guidance of N. Subramanian, Group CEO of The Times Group.

Sehgal is an industry veteran with over three decades of experience in revenue acceleration and organisational transformation and has served at the CXO level for the past 14 years. Prior to this appointment, he spent nearly two decades at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, most recently as Chief Growth Officer – Broadcast and Digital, where he oversaw topline delivery across more than 50 TV channels, ZEE5, international markets, and government and brand solutions.

Puja Sethi exits as Managing Editor (Digital)

Senior journalist Puja Sethi resigned from Times Network, where she had joined in March as Managing Editor (Digital).

Before joining Times Network, Sethi served as Group Editor (Digital) at India TV. She brings over 21 years of experience across prominent media organisations. Her previous roles include Group Editor (Digital) at Zee Media, Vice President – Content Strategy and Partnerships at myUpchar, and GM and Digital Head (Jagran Online) at Jagran New Media. She has also served as Executive Editor of City Plus, the English daily of the Dainik Jagran group.

Sumit Awasthi as Senior Consulting Editor, Times Now Navbharat

Senior television journalist Sumit Awasthi joined Times Now Navbharat as Senior Consulting Editor, following his exit from NDTV.

With close to 25 years of experience, he is regarded as one of India’s most seasoned political journalists. Before joining NDTV in July 2023, he served as Vice President (News and Production) at ABP News, having joined the network in 2018 as Consulting Editor. Earlier in his career, Awasthi worked at Network18 as Deputy Managing Editor, Zee News as Resident Editor, and Aaj Tak as Deputy Editor.

ABP

Sumanta Datta named Chief Executive Officer

ABP Network appointed Sumanta Datta as CEO. Sumanta spent a large part of his career at Coca Cola, followed by impactful stints as MD & Cluster Head at Logitech and as MD at Oxford University Press before joining ABP. He completed his schooling at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, earned a BA from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, USA, and an MBA from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA.

Avinash Pandey moves to Laqshya Media Group as Director

Laqshya Media Group onboarded veteran media executive Avinash Pandey as a Director. 

Pandey brought over 29 years of leadership experience in broadcast and digital media, including roles as CEO and COO of ABP Network, where he led the transformation of Star News into a digitally robust news powerhouse. 

An alumnus of Harvard Business School and Delhi University (History), Pandey has held influential positions including President of the India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and President of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association. He has also served on committees at FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, shaping media governance and policy.

Rajat Uppal appointed Business Head, Concerts & Events Vertical

ABP Network appointed Rajat Uppal as Business Head for its soon-to-launch concerts and events vertical. Uppal recently stepped down from his role at Stage Aaj Tak, the consumer events division of the India Today Group, launched earlier in 2025. 

Prior to that, he served as National Marketing & Programming Head for the India Today Group’s radio network, 104.8 Ishq FM, and has held key leadership roles at RED FM, HT Media, and Reliance Broadcast.

Rupali Fernandes exits as Chief Revenue Officer

ABP Network’s Chief Revenue Officer, Rupali Fernandes, moved on from the network after two years. With a career spanning over two decades, Fernandes has been a seasoned leader in media, advertising, and brand partnerships. 

Prior to ABP, she served as Head – Brand Partnership at Matrix IEC (June 2021–June 2023), where she managed celebrity brand endorsement deals including Vicky Kaushal for Charged by Thums Up, Varun Dhawan for Maruti Suzuki, and Alia Bhatt and Ram Charan for Frooti. 

She also held the role of National Sales Head for STAR Plus (2008–2014) at Disney Star and began her career at The Indian Express managing ad sales for large-scale print campaigns in FMCG and financial sectors.

Rohit Sawal moves on from ABP Network

Senior journalist Rohit Sawal left ABP Network, where he served as  President (News and Programming) and Output Head at ABP News’ Hindi channel. He also hosted the prime-time show “Bharat Ki Baat” at 8 pm. 

Sawal briefly left mainstream media before joining ABP Ganga, returned to ABP News’ UP-UK regional channel in March 2019, and later moved to ITV Network. September 30, 2025, marked his last day at ABP.

Saikat Dutta appointed Vice President – Ad Sales

ABP Network appointed Saikat Dutta as Vice President – Ad Sales, effective April 17, 2025. In this role, Dutta drives sales growth across India, reporting directly to CEO Sumanta Datta. 

He brings over 23 years of experience in strategic sales leadership, business development, and revenue management. He has held senior positions at TV Today Network, Patanjali Media, Sun TV, India TV, Asia TV, Sananda TV, Star India, and Zee Entertainment, and previously served as National Revenue Head at TV Today Network Ltd.

Network18 / CNN-News18 

Rahul Shivshankar appointed Director, Editorial Affairs

Rahul Shivshankar was appointed Editorial Affairs Director at CNN-News18, marking a key leadership transition at the network. A seasoned journalist and host of the prime-time show The Hard Facts, Shivshankar brought years of newsroom experience and editorial expertise to the role.

Pranav Bakshi elevated to Chief Growth Officer

Pranav Bakshi was elevated to Chief Growth Officer at Network18 Media & Investments Limited. In this role, he was responsible for transforming how content was created, consumed, and commercialized across formats, devices, and audiences. 

He also managed strategic partnerships across all network brands and expanded Network18’s presence across Connected TV, Connected Devices, social platforms, international markets, and partnerships. Prior to this, Bakshi had served as Head: Digital Video Strategy & Partnerships and previously worked with Times Network, NDTV, and The Times of India.

Munish Atrey exits as Chief Revenue Officer, Hindi & Language Cluster

Munish Atrey stepped down as Chief Revenue Officer - Hindi & Language Cluster at Network18 after an 18-month tenure. Atrey had joined Network18 following nearly 17 years at ABP Network, where he last served as Senior Vice President - Ad Sales. At Network18, he headed ad sales nationally for ABP News, ABP Ananda, ABP Majha, and ABP Asmita.

India Today Group

Abhinav Sharma appointed Vice President and National Sales Head

Abhinav Sharma was appointed Vice President and National Sales Head at India Today Group in 2025. Prior to this move, Sharma served as Vice President and National Sales Head at Republic Media Network. Before that, he was associated with Zee Media.

Over the course of his career, Sharma has worked with several leading media organisations, including NDTV, CNN-News18, Star TV Network, and The Times of India, bringing extensive cross-network sales leadership experience to his role at India Today Group.

Nilanjan Das named Chief AI Officer

Nilanjan Das was appointed Chief AI Officer (CAIO) of the India Today Group, marking a significant strategic move towards building AI-first capabilities across the organisation. In this role, Das is tasked with spearheading the India Today AI Lab and transforming how the group creates, distributes, and monetises content, with the objective of ensuring continued leadership in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

He is working directly with Kalli Purie, Vice Chairperson and Executive Editor-in-Chief of India Today Group, and partnering closely with the group’s editorial, technology, and business teams to accelerate AI adoption and drive innovation across the organisation.

TV9 Network 

Jacob Mathew elevated to Network Coordinating Editor

Jacob Mathew was elevated to the role of Network Coordinating Editor at Associated Broadcasting Co. Pvt. Ltd (TV9). 

Mathew, an internationally renowned journalist with more than three decades of experience, has worked with prominent national and international media organizations including Dunia Vision (French TV), ANI-Reuters, CNN, India TV, News24, and TV9 News Network. He also serves as an elected Director on the New Delhi YMCA Board of Directors, with his term extending until 2027.

Sanjeev Mulchandani promoted to President – Sales

Sanjeev Mulchandani was promoted to President-Sales at Associated Broadcasting Company Private Limited (ABCPL), the parent company of TV9 Network. Mulchandani brought over 24 years of experience across media, FMCG, and telecom sectors. Prior to this, he served as EVP – Sales & Business Head for the English News Cluster at TV9 – News9, leading revenue growth and strategic partnerships for over a year. He had joined ABCPL in 2020 and held several other leadership roles within the organization.

Republic Media Network 

Jitender Kumar appointed Chief Revenue Officer, Republic Bharat

Jitender Kumar joined Republic Bharat as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) in 2025. His move to Republic Bharat came after a brief stint as Senior Vice President – Sales (India News) at iTV Network.

With nearly two decades of experience in media sales and business development, Kumar brought a strong track record of driving revenue growth and building strategic partnerships. Prior to joining India News, he served as Chief Revenue Officer – Ad Sales at India Daily Live, where he played a key role in building and scaling the network’s monetisation strategy. He also spent 17 years at India TV as Vice President – Sales for the North region and worked with the NDTV Group as National Head – Sales for over a year and a half.

Asianet News Network / Asianxt Digital 

Neeraj Kohli appointed Chairman, Asianet News Network

Asianet News Network Pvt. Ltd. appointed Neeraj Kohli as its Chairman in 2025. Kohli assumed the role while continuing as CEO of Asianxt Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant consolidation of leadership across the group’s broadcast and digital businesses.

Before this elevation, Kohli served as the Chief Financial Officer of Asianet News Network, where he built deep financial and operational expertise. Over the years, he has also held senior leadership roles at Discovery Communications India, Bharti Airtel Limited, and LG Electronics, bringing cross-industry experience to his expanded responsibilities.

Rajesh Kalra steps down as Executive Chairman, Asianxt Digital Technologies

Rajesh Kalra stepped down from his position as Executive Chairman of Asianxt Digital Technologies during the year. A seasoned media leader, Kalra previously served as Chief Editor at Times Internet, where he played a pivotal role in launching and scaling several of the group’s flagship news and entertainment platforms.

His work at Times Internet included the launch and growth of TOI, ET, Mumbai Mirror, Bangalore Mirror, Ahmedabad Mirror, Pune Mirror, Navbharat Times (NBT), Maharashtra Times (MT), Indiatimes, Ei Samay, I Am Gujarat, Vijay Karnataka, and the Samayam properties across Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam languages.

Between 2000 and 2006, Kalra was also an entrepreneur, during which his company managed dynamic content operations for websites such as Yahoo India, MSN India, and Mantra Online. During this period, he also launched NaradOnline, India’s first 24x7 news website, cementing his role as a pioneer in the country’s digital news ecosystem.

iTV Network 

Abhay Ojha appointed CEO, iTV Network

Abhay Ojha was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of iTV Network, overseeing its TV, Print, Digital, and Sports League businesses. Highly placed sources confirmed to exchange4media that Ojha moved on from the network during the year. He had taken charge of the role in February 2025.

Ojha’s expertise spans multiple industries, including media, FMCG, e-commerce, and financial modeling. He is widely regarded as a skilled change catalyst and financial strategist, with a strong background in business management, digital transformation, investments, new business acquisition, and startup ecosystems.

News India 

Rana Yashwant appointed Chief Executive Officer and Editor-in-Chief

Senior television journalist and news anchor Rana Yashwant was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Editor-in-Chief of the Hindi news channel News India in 2025.

Earlier in March, Yashwant concluded his tenure with iTV Network and joined Live Times, where he launched a weekly programme titled Facts and Figures and remained actively engaged across digital platforms. Before joining Live Times, he had been associated with iTV Network since 2013, serving as Editor-in-Chief of the network’s Hindi news channel India News, where he also hosted the programme Ardh Satya.

PTC Network

Rabindra Narayan steps down from PTC Network leadership

Rabindra Narayan, widely hailed as the Father of Punjabi Satellite Television, stepped down from his role as President and Managing Director of PTC Network in 2025. After nearly two decades at the helm of India’s leading Punjabi media house, Narayan announced plans to launch a new global media conglomerate aimed at redefining the creation, distribution, and consumption of Punjabi content worldwide.

Over the last three decades, Narayan has been the driving force behind the transformation of Punjabi-language television. Under his leadership, PTC Network emerged as the most-watched Punjabi television network, known for broadcasting Gurbani from the Golden Temple, delivering trusted news, and producing top-tier entertainment and talent shows across India, North America, and international markets.

Bharat Express 

Varun Kohli appointed Director and Group CEO

Varun Kohli joined Bharat Express as its Director and Group Chief Executive Officer in 2025. A media industry veteran with over three decades of experience, Kohli had first joined Bharat Express in January 2023, where he previously served as CEO and Director.

Before returning to Bharat Express, Kohli was Chief Operating Officer at Times Network, overseeing critical operations and strategic initiatives for over a year. His 30-year career spans leadership roles across ITV Network, Deccan Chronicle Holdings, Mogae Media, Network18, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd., HT Media, and Amar Ujala Prakashan.

Doordarshan / Prasar Bharati 

Sudhir Chaudhary partners with Prasar Bharati for Doordarshan revival

Prasar Bharati signed a mega deal, widely described as possibly its biggest-ever media partnership, with veteran editor, journalist, and news anchor Sudhir Chaudhary for the revival of Doordarshan. The landmark agreement underlined Prasar Bharati’s intent to reposition DD as a dominant force in Indian television news.

Chaudhary was formerly Consulting Editor at Aaj Tak, where he hosted the show Black & White (B & W) from 2022 until 2025. Over his career, he has served as Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Zee News, WION, Zee Business, and Zee 24 Taas, and hosted the iconic prime-time show Daily News & Analysis (DNA) on Zee News.

He exited Aaj Tak on April 4, 2025, and joined DD News in the same month. At Doordarshan, he began hosting a prime-time show titled Decode, which premiered on May 15, 2025.

Industry Body

Rajat Sharma elected President, News Broadcasters & Digital Association

At the Board Meeting of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) held on September 19, 2025, Rajat Sharma was unanimously elected President for the 2025–2026 term.

Sharma is an Indian journalist and businessperson, currently serving as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV. He is best known as the host of Aap Ki Adalat, which first aired in 1993 and remains India’s longest-running television reality show. In recognition of his contributions to Indian media, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2015, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.