Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), the apex body of television broadcasters and digital streaming platforms in the country, has re-elected K. Madhavan, Country Manager & President – The Walt Disney Company India and Star India, as its President for the second term after the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the company.
K Madhavan
Said Madhavan: “I am humbled by the trust and faith IBDF members have reposed in me to lead the foundation for a second term. We are at an interesting crossroad where the combination of consumer, regulatory and technology trends is remodelling the media landscape and ecosystem. I hope to continue working with the government, industry and other stakeholders for accelerating the growth of the broadcast and digital media sector in the country.”
The Walt Disney Company and Star India have pledged financial support of Rs 50 crore towards the ongoing Covid-19 relief efforts in India. The announcement was made through Star India’s Twitter handle.
The communiqué further mentioned: The proceeds will be utilized to aid relief efforts and towards the procurement of critical healthcare equipment, including oxygen concentrators, BiPAP, and ventilators along with setting up oxygen plants across hospitals. This is in addition to INR 28 crores that The Walt Disney Company and Star India contributed towards Covid-19 relief in 2020. In the endeavor to create awareness around Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB), the Star India network has been running an awareness campaign through Public Service Announcements (PSA). The Company will also continue supporting relief efforts through its Disney Employee Matching Gifts program, wherein for employee donations to pre-approved charitable organizations, the Company will match the amount.
Said K. Madhavan, President, The Walt Disney Company India and Star India, through a Tweet: “We stand in solidarity with all of India in our fight against Covid-19. The Walt Disney Company and Star India are humbly contributing INR 50 crore to aid relief efforts. The need of the hour is to provide critical healthcare supplies and equipment to save lives. This is our common fight and our contribution reaffirms our steadfast commitment to India, and builds upon the INR 28 crores that our Company contributed towards Covid -19 relief in 2020.”
Mashal Sports has concluded its Media Rights Auction for the five seasons of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) to be held during 2021-2025. Star India has emerged as the successful bidder following an online auction and has retained the consolidated rights package on offer. The company will be responsible for producing a world-class feed and a strong marketing commitment to the league.
Star India Private Limited was the Media Rights Partner for PKL for the first seven seasons of the League. This was the first time Mashal Sports offered the Media Rights to eligible domestic and global players through an open tender process.
Said Anupam Goswami, CEO – Mashal Sports & League Commissioner of the Pro Kabaddi League: “Kabaddi is a magnificent indigenous sport. Mashal along with its supporters and partners including AKFI, our Players, Franchises and Media Rights partner have been able to create a strong media asset for our beloved fans in the form of the Pro Kabaddi League. The auction process has been guided by an independent Auction Committee, comprising eminent individuals. With this important step now over, we are excited to conduct a stellar PKL Season 8 later this year. Our focus during this rights period will be to further build on the success of PKL and work closely with Star India to offer our fans more and innovative ways to engage with PKL through various mediums including television, digital and gaming.”
Added K Madhavan, President, The Walt Disney Company India and Star India: “Pro Kabaddi League stands out as one of the most popular sporting properties in India and we, at Star India are thrilled to retain the television and digital media rights for the next five seasons. Over the years, we have made significant investments to enhance the aspirational value of PKL, making it the second most-watched sporting league in the country. By delivering an event broadcast of international standards, we have elevated the status of this indigenous sport, reinforcing our commitment towards building a multi-sporting nation. We will continue to work closely with Mashal Sports to take Kabaddi to greater heights.”
Veteran broadcast professional K Madhavan has been named president, The Walt Disney Company India and Star India, effective immediately. It was announced today (April 14) by Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer, The Walt Disney Company.
In this role, Madhavan will drive the strategy and growth of the company in India, with responsibility for the vast Disney, Star and Hotstar businesses and operations spanning across entertainment, sports and regional channels, and direct-to-consumer. This includes oversight of channel distribution and advertising sales, as well as the local content production business.
Said Campbell: “For the past several months, I have had the pleasure of working directly with KM and have seen first-hand how he has adeptly managed our India business, which has been and will continue to be critical to our global and regional strategy. A skilled leader with an extensive background in media, KM has taken our vast Star networks and local content production businesses to new heights despite continued industry evolution and significant challenges due to the pandemic.”
Added Madhavan: “I am very proud to have the opportunity to lead the incredibly talented and passionate team we have in India, and to further build upon our strong portfolio of channels and high-quality programming that is a favorite with viewers across the region. We have an exciting journey ahead of us. I am committed to continuing to move our business forward, working more closely together with colleagues across Disney to enhance our global and regional offerings.”
The Walt Disney Company India has announced the appointment of Mr. Abhishek Maheshwari as Vice President and Head, Disney Consumer Products. Mr. Maheshwari takes over from Roshini Bakshi who has resigned from the company to pursue other interests.
“Abhishek has been a key member of our management team since 2012. Over this time, he has worked closely on the integration of Disney and UTV, on identifying local growth initiatives for the company and on formulating our long-term strategy in India,” said Mr. Siddharth Roy Kapur, Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company India. “Abhishek brings to this role a deep understanding of our businesses along with a diverse set of leadership skills, and he is well placed to help us continue to grow our consumer products business in India.”
In addition to focusing his energies on leading Disney’s Consumer Products business, Mr. Maheshwari will continue to oversee Corporate Strategy and Business Development for the Company in India.
Before joining Disney, Mr. Maheshwari worked in various management roles for Kubera and prior to that with McKinsey & Company at their Mumbai and Stamford, Connecticut offices. Abhishek received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with distinction from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.
