Subhash Chandra

Chandra was born on born 30 November 1950 in Hissar, a small town in north India.

He is the owner of the Essel Group, an Indian Conglomerate. He is the proud owner and launcher of Iindia's first satellite TV channel Zee TV, which he launched in the year 1992 and later the first private news channel Zee News.

Chandra also decided to start his own vegetable oil unit and soon began a venture into export of food grains. In 1981, Chandra set up Essel Packaging Limited which was due to a visit to a packaging exhibition. The Essel Packaging Limited later merged with the Swiss group Propack A.G, this was when it was renamed as Essel Propack Limited.

Chandra proceeded further to set up amusement parks in India. He later decided to step into the world of broadcasting and emerged out successful in leasing a transponder on AsiaSat owned by Star TV.

Zee Telefilms Limited was launched by Subhash Chandra in October 1992 as a content supplier for Zee TV - India's first Hindi satellite channel. The first huge business potential of satellite television channels was harnessed by Subhash Chandra in India.

Chandra's field of industry includes leading businesses, which are, television networks and film entertainment, cable systems, satellite communications, theme parks, flexible packaging, family entertainment centers and online gaming.

ZEE CHANNEL

Zee TV is an Indian cable and satellite television channel owned and operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, a media and entertainment company based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It majorly airs programmes in Hindi and other regional languages of India. The channel is also available in various nations of Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australasia and North America. A part of the Essel Group, it started to broadcast on 2 October 1992 as the first Hindi-language cable channel in India.

Prior to the launch of Zee TV, Indian viewers were under the grip of Doordarshan, the state-controlled terrestrial network. Only because of Subhash Chandra's visions and efforts the satellite TV industry in India was born which inspired the others as well.

Zee TV was announced the first cable company in India to launch Internet over Cable services in 2000. In 2003, Zee TV became the first one in India to launch Direct to Home (DTH) services. In a very short period of time Zee TV became a big media and gave tough competition to international media moguls, even today it maintains its position.

AWARDS

• In 2010, Subhash Chandra was honored with The Hall of Fame for Continuing Contribution to Industry (Entrepreneur) at the annual

• Exchange4media Indian News Broadcasting Awards (EINBA).

• He is the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board and promoter of Essel Group of Companies.

• Chandra has also been the recipient of various honorary degrees, industry awards and civic honors.

• He was named 'Global Indian Entertainment Personality of the Year' by FICCI for 2004.