JioStar’s Kevin Vaz elected as IBDF Chairman

New office bearers of the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) were elected at its 25^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in New Delhi on December 20, 2024. Kevin Vaz has been elected President of IBDF. Rajat Sharma, Gaurav Banerjee and R Mahesh Kumar have been elected as Vice Presidents. I Venkat has been elected Treasurer.

The AGM was chaired by Rajat Sharma, Chairman, India TV, in his capacity as Vice President of IBDF, following the recent resignation of K Madhavan as President of the Foundation.

Key Appointments to the IBDF Board:

During the AGM, the following appointments to the IBDF Board were announced:

Gaurav Dwivedi, Prasar Bharati

Jayant M Mathew, MMTV

Aroon Purie, TV Today

The other board members include:

Rajat Sharma, India TV

I Venkat, Eenadu TV

Kevin Vaz, JioStar

R Mahesh Kumar, Sun Network

Gaurav Banerjee, Culver Max

Nachiket Pantvaidya, Bangla Entertainment

Punit Goenka, Zee Media

Ashish Sehgal, Zee Entertainment

The newly elected President, Kevin Vaz, remarked, “It is an honour to take on this responsibility at such a transformative time for the media and entertainment sector. India’s appetite for content is unmatched, making it a unique market where all forms of media continue to grow, while Indian content increasingly gains international recognition furthering India’s soft power globally. As we increasingly embrace technology to scale up, it is imperative that we democratize content creation so that it is not demographically or geographically limited. While India consumes content from anywhere, driven by the proliferation of 5G, smartphones, connected TVs and better Pay TV infrastructure, we must ensure that opportunities to create professional content from locations beyond the current hotspots is a viable future for the industry.”

He further emphasized that, “The media and entertainment industry has a multiplier effect that extends to sectors like sports, creating significant opportunities for growth at scale. To ensure that this growth can be sustainable we need to look at business models rooted in equitable collaborations that foster value creation for all stakeholders across the ecosystem. I also look forward to work with the government and industry in developing progressive, soft-touch regulations that empower the sector to innovate and harness its full potential for sustainable growth.”

Vaz urged all IBDF members to collaborate in building a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable ecosystem that captivates audiences and propels the growth of India's media and entertainment industry.

Addressing the members during the AGM, Rajat Sharma reflected upon IBDF’s 25-year journey, emphasizing the Foundation’s role in shaping the Indian broadcasting landscape. He said, “This milestone highlights the steadfast contributions of our members in transforming the broadcasting industry. As we move forward, IBDF will continue advocating for a regulatory framework that fosters innovation, supports creators, and ensures fair competition. Together, we will drive the industry toward a sustainable and prosperous future.”

Sharma also expressed gratitude to the outgoing President, K Madhavan, for his visionary leadership, which had been instrumental in navigating the organization through pivotal times.

Following the AGM, a meeting of the IBDF Board of Directors was convened, during which the following members were co-opted to the Board:

Sumanto Bose, JioStar

John Brittas, Kairali TV

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