Mr. Subhash Chandra: Pioneer of Satellite TV in India
In today's era characterised by the ubiquity of satellite television, it is tough for the present generation to imagine that there was a time when watching television was all about watching Doordarshan programmes. The advent of satellite television marked the beginning of a new era in India; it was Mr. Subhash Chandra, a one-time rice exporter turned media baron and the Chairman of Essel Group, who played a crucial role in dismantling the government monopoly regime in the area of television broadcasting by setting up Zee TV It is because of his pioneering role in this domain that he is regarded by one and all as the one who spearheaded the visual media boom in the country.
Mr. Subhash Chandra was born in Hissar, Haryana on November 30. 1950. He left his studies after the completion of the 12th standard. and thereafter he set up a vegetable oil unit and ventured into food grains export. In 1981, his visit to a packaging exhibition led him to set up Essel Packaging Ltd .. which was later merged with the Swiss group Propack AG, and was renamed the Essel Pro Pack Ltd. Then Mr. Chandra went on to set up amusement parks in the country. Thereafter. he decided to foray into broadcasting and resultantly, India's first private satellite television channel Zee TV was born in October 1992. Presently. the Zee network caters to 32 million homes across India. besides reaching out to countries like USA, Caribbean Islands, the Middle East. Europe. Africa. Far East. Australia and New Zealand.
Mr. Chandra's other business interests include movie production. multiplexes. education. animation. publishing. online lottery. etc. In 2008. he started the Indian Cricket League (ICL). a Twenty20 cricket tournament. He is the President of Global Vipassana Foundation. a trust set up for helping people in spiritual upliftment and the Chairman of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of India, which supports and runs schools allover the country. A prominent philanthropist. he set up TALEEM. an organisation which seeks to provide access to quality education and promote research in various disciplines.
Mr. Chandra has been the recipient of numerous industry awards and civic honours. including being named the Global Indian Entertainment Personality by FICCI (2004). Business Standard's Businessman of the Year (1999). Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year (1999). etc. He was also named the "Enterprise CEO of the Year" by International Brand Summit. The CII Chose Mr. Chandra as the Chairman of the CII Media Committee for two successive years.
CSR Group salutes this visionary entrepreneur who, with his great business acumen, has changed the face of the television industry in India.
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