Business
Dr Subhash Chandra @75th: Harbinger Of Modern Media Boom In India, One Who Brought Paradigm Shift In TV Business
New Delhi: Today is a historic day for the Indian media and the world of media business. Dr Subhash Chandra, Chairman of the Essel Group, also known as the Father of Modern Indian Television, is celebrating his 75th birthday.
Dr Chandra, can very well be touted as the harbinger of the media boom in India, for he augured a complete shift in the media landscape that we witness today.
From starting as a simple grain trader in Haryana’s Adampur Mandi to building a billion-dollar empire, Dr Chandra’s story is not just about success, but about Risk, Revolution, and Resilience. From a business perspective, Dr Chandra is not just a media mogul, but a visionary who gave birth to a new industry in the 90s amidst India’s closed economy.
Dr Subhash Chandra’s early life was full of struggles. Though he had few resources and faced difficult circumstances, his out of the box thinking and revolutionary ideas cemented his position as the top-most media baron of the country. He is known as one of India’s first media entrepreneurs, who took bold risks at a time when business in India was still limited to trading or production. He believed, “If you don’t have an opportunity, create it.”
In the glorious history of a country, some names are etched in golden words. Dr Subhash Chandra is one of the prominent names that come to mind whenever India’s media industry is being discussed. To call him simply a business leader would be an understatement, for Dr Chandra is The Pioneer, The Visionary, and India’s Original Media Baron.
1. The 1992 Revolution: When India started watching its own TV
Dr Subhash Chandra’s greatest contribution is the introduction of private satellite television in India. In the early 1990s, when Doordarshan had the sole monopoly in India, he dreamed of launching Zee TV.
Business masterstroke: At that time, foreign companies were turned down for AsiaSat transponders. Dr Chandra not only leased the transponder, instead he surprised everyone by offering a 5-million-rupee, instead of 1.25-million-rupee, bid. It was a big gamble, but his vision was clear—he knew that Indian audiences were hungry for entertainment.
The upshot? Zee TV was launched on 2 October 1992 and it changed the entire ecosystem of the Indian advertising and content industry.
2. Risk-Taking and Innovation: “Victory lies beyond fear”
The basic mantra of Dr Chandra’s business philosophy is – Be original, don’t just copy.
Essel Propack: Before media, he revolutionized the packaging industry. When the world was using conventional tubes, he brought Laminated Tubes to India, which changed FMCG packaging forever.
This company is one of the world’s largest specialty packaging companies. This is why the Blackstone Group acquired a majority stake in the company in 2019. It is now known as EPL Limited.
Essel World: When the entertainment sector was at its nascent stage in India, he built the country’s first amusement park ‘Essel World’ in 1989, which was a huge infrastructure risk in those days. But Dr Chandra saw an opportunity and made the most of it.
3. A Vast Empire: From ZEEL to Infrastructure
Dr Chandra’s vision wasn’t limited to just one sector. Through the Essel Group, he built a diversified portfolio:
a. Media & Entertainment: ZEEL today delivers content to over 190 countries.
b. Education (Zee Learn): Through Zee Learn, Kidzee, and Mount Litera, he integrated education with a business model (Franchise Model) and took it to tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
c. Technology (Dish TV & Siti Networks): He played a leading role in delivering digital signals to every home through cable and DTH.
d. News and Global Voices (WION): Dr Chandra’s vision was to ensure India’s voice reaches the world, rather than just Western media outlets. WION (World Is One News) is the result of this vision, placing the narrative of a “New India” on a global platform.
4. The Digital Economy and the Pioneer’s Vision
Dr Chandra is called “The Pioneer” because he is ahead of the times. When the internet revolution was just beginning in India, he made a strong foray into the OTT space with ZEE5.
He believes the future is one of convergence—where media, telecom, and technology will converge. His contributions to India’s digital economy have been significant not only in content creation but also in digital infrastructure (cable digitization).
5. Leadership Lessons for Today’s Entrepreneurs
Even at the age of 75, Dr. Chandra’s business mantra is a case study for the youth:
1. Step out of your comfort zone: From trading grains to making toothpaste tubes and then starting a TV channel – this shows that real growth lies in uncharted paths.
2. Integrity is Capital: In recent years, when the group faced a debt crisis, Dr Chandra publicly acknowledged his liabilities and repaid more than 90% of his debt by selling his valuable assets. His move is an excellent example of corporate governance and the true value of words.
3. Don’t be afraid of failure: They often say, “I’m not afraid of failure, because it teaches you more than success.” Failure is the greatest teacher.
Factors That Cement His Position As The Pioneer Of Indian Media
Dr Chandra didn’t just lead the way, he paved the way. The Indian media industry would probably be 10–15 years behind if it was not for Dr Chandra.
Business Icon: What Every Entrepreneur Should Learn
Dr Chandra’s life, when studied closely can become a business education for people wanting to set into entreprenual journey. Here are five things every entrepreneur can learn:
1. Risk-Led Growth
If you don’t take risks, you won’t be recognized.
2. Look for the trend even before it starts trending
He took up satellite TV when no one else understood it.
3. Don’t be afraid of failures
He saw ups and downs in his journey, but never stopped.
4. India First Approach
Every business of his is related to the Indian audience, youth and the development of the country.
5. Talent First Leadership
He always said, “People, not systems, make companies.”
Dr Chandra –The legacy of a legend
Dr. Subhash Chandra’s 75-year journey proves that if the vision is big and the intentions are strong, resources are automatically gathered. He not only taught India how to watch TV, but also inspired thousands of entrepreneurs to believe that an Indian company could become a global media powerhouse.
On Dr Chandra’s 75th birthday, one can certainly remark –he didn’t just build a company, he created a legacy!
Business
Serial rail fare evader faces jail over 112 unpaid tickets
One of Britain’s most prolific rail fare dodgers could face jail after admitting dozens of travel offences.
Charles Brohiri, 29, pleaded guilty to travelling without buying a ticket a total of 112 times over a two-year period, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
He could be ordered to pay more than £18,000 in unpaid fares and legal costs, the court was told.
He will be sentenced next month.
District Judge Nina Tempia warned Brohiri “could face a custodial sentence because of the number of offences he has committed”.
He pleaded guilty to 76 offences on Thursday.
It came after he was convicted in his absence of 36 charges at a previous hearing.
During Thursday’s hearing, Judge Tempia dismissed a bid by Brohiri’s lawyers to have the 36 convictions overturned.
They had argued the prosecutions were unlawful because they had not been brought by a qualified legal professional.
But Judge Tempia rejected the argument, saying there had been “no abuse of this court’s process”.
Business
JSW Likely To Launch Jetour T2 SUV In India This Year: Reports
JSW Jetour T2 Launch: JSW Motors Limited, the passenger vehicle arm of the JSW Group, is reportedly preparing to enter the Indian car market this year. It has partnered with Jetour, a China-based automotive brand owned by Chery Automobile, and the Jetour T2 SUV could be the company’s first product, according to the reports.
Media reports suggest that the launch will happen independently and not under the JSW MG Motor India joint venture. The SUV will wear a JSW badge and name, instead of the Jetour branding. The upcoming SUV will be assembled at JSW’s upcoming greenfield manufacturing facility in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra.
According to the reports, the company plans to have the vehicle on sale by the third quarter of this year. With this move, JSW aims to establish itself as a standalone carmaker in India.
Expected Powertrain
The SUV is likely to arrive with a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid setup. Internationally, this hybrid powertrain is offered with both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. It is still unclear which version will be introduced in India.
Design
In terms of design, the T2 is a large and rugged-looking SUV. It has a boxy and upright stance, similar to vehicles like the Land Rover Defender. Despite its tough appearance, it uses a monocoque chassis instead of a ladder-frame construction.
Size
The SUV measures around 4.7 metres in length and nearly 2 metres in width. This makes it larger than the Tata Safari, even though it is a five-seater. A longer 7-seat version is also sold in some markets.
Price
Pricing details for India are yet to be announced. For reference, the front-wheel-drive five-seat T2 i-DM is priced at AED 1,44,000 (around Rs 35 lakh) in the UAE.
Jetour
Jetour is a brand owned by Chinese automaker Chery. Launched in 2018, it focuses mainly on SUVs and is present in markets across China, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Business
John Swinney under fire over ‘smallest tax cut in history’ after Scottish Budget
John Swinney has been pressed over whether this week’s Scottish Budget gives some workers the “smallest tax cut in history” – with Tory leader Russell Findlay branding the reduction “miserly” and “insulting”.
The Scottish Conservative leader challenged the First Minister after Tuesday’s Holyrood Budget effectively cut taxes for lower earners, by increasing the threshold for the basic and intermediate bands of income tax.
But Mr Findlay said that would leave workers at most £31.75 a year better off – saying this amounts to a saving of just £61p a week
“That wouldn’t even buy you a bag of peanuts,” the Scottish Tory leader said.
“John Swinney’s Budget might even have broken a world record, because a Scottish Government tax adviser says it ‘maybe the smallest tax cut in history’.”
Raising the “miserly cut” at First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Findlay demanded to know if the SNP leader believed his “insulting tax cut will actually help Scotland’s struggling households”.
The attack came as the Tory accused the SNP government of increasing taxes on higher earners, with its freeze on higher income tax thresholds, which will pull more Scots into these brackets.
This is needed to pay for the “SNP’s out of control, unaffordable benefits bill”, the Conservative added.
Mr Findlay said: “The Scottish Conservatives will not back and cannot back a Budget that does nothing to help Scotland’s workers and businesses.
“It hammers people with higher taxes to fund a bloated benefits system.”
Hitting out at Labour – whose leader Anas Sarwar has already declared they will not block the government’s Budget – Mr Findlay said: “It is absolutely mind-blowing that Labour and other so-called opposition parties will let this SNP boorach of a budget pass.
“Don’t the people of Scotland deserve lower taxes, fairer benefits and a government focused on economic growth?”
Mr Swinney said the Budget “delivers on the priorities of the people of Scotland” by “strengthening our National Health Service and supporting people and businesses with the challenges of the cost of living”.
He insisted income tax decisions in the Budget would mean that in 2026-27 “55% of Scottish taxpayers are now expected to pay less income tax than if they lived in England”.
The First Minister went on to say that showed “the people of Scotland have a Government that is on their side”.
Referring to polls putting his party on course to win the Holyrood elections in May, the SNP leader added that “all the current indications show the people of Scotland want to have this Government here for the long term”.
Benefits funding is “keeping children out of poverty”, he told MSPs, adding the Budget contained a “range of measures” that would build on existing support.
The First Minister said: “What that is a demonstration of is a Government that is on the side of the people of Scotland and I am proud of the measures we set out in the Budget on Tuesday.”
Meanwhile he said the Tories wanted to make tax cuts that would cost £1 billion, with “not a scrap of detail about how that would be delivered”.
With the weekly leaders’ question time clash coming less than 48 hours after the draft 2026-27 Budget was unveiled, the First Minister also faced questions from Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar, who insisted that the proposals “lacks ambition for Scotland”.
Pressing his SNP rival, the Scottish Labour leader said: “While he brags about his £6 a year tax cut for the lowest paid, one million Scots including nurses, teachers and police officers face being forced to pay more.
“Even his own tax adviser says this is a political stunt. So why does John Swinney believe that someone earning £33,500 has the broadest shoulders and therefore should pay more tax in Scotland?”
Mr Swinney, however, said that many public sector workers would be better off in Scotland.
He told the Scottish Labour leader: “A band six nurse at the bottom of the scale will take home an additional £1,994 after tax compared to the same band in England.
“A qualified teacher at the bottom of the band will take home £6,365 more after tax in Scotland than the equivalent in England. There are the facts for Mr Sarwar.”
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