Sashi Kumar

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Not to be confused with Shashi Kumar, the actor and politician from Karnataka.
For the Indian cricketer, see Sashi Kumar (cricketer).

Sashi Kumar
Born (1952-02-23) 23 February 1952 (age 72)
Kodungallur, Thrissur district, Travancore–Cochin
(present-day Kerala), India
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • TV Anchor
  • Media entrepreneur
  • Film maker
  • Founder of Asianet TV channel and Cable network
  • Chairman, Media Development Foundation and Asian College of Journalism
SpouseRadhika
Children2

Sashi Kumar Balakrishnan Menon (born 23 February 1952) is an Indian journalist and academician. He headed the Asian College of Journalism after it was acquired by the Hindu group and shifted its base from Bangalore to Chennai. He is the founder of the first private television channel, Asianet in Malayalam.[1][2]

Early life and education[edit]

Kumar was born at Karupadanna near Kodungallur in Thrissur District of the erstwhile State of Travancore–Cochin.[3]

Career[edit]

Kumar started as a film columnist in The Hindu.[4] He reported on the issues affecting South Asia, covering Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives. His docu-features were telecast as multipart series. He also reported on Sri Lanka during the war in the island and during the IPKF intervention.[5]

As a print journalist, he was the first West Asia Correspondent of The Hindu.[6]

Press Trust of India TV[edit]

In 1986, he returned to India and set up the television wing of Press Trust of India, the PTI-TV.[4] From 1986 to 1992, that he produced the series of docu-features. In late 1992, he quit PTI, and launched Asianet, India’s first satellite TV channel in a regional language in Malayalam. Simultaneously, he also launched Asianet Satcom, a cable company in Kerala that took up state-wide cabling using the electricity poles.[7] Later, after a 10-month legal battle, he lost control of the Asianet Satellite Communications Limited.[4][8]

Asian College of Journalism

In 2000, Sashi Kumar founded the Media Development Foundation (MDF) as a nonprofit trust that set up the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai with the support of the Hindu group.[9]

As Filmmaker

In 2004, he scripted and directed a full length feature film in Hindi titled ‘Kaya Taran’ (Chrysalis).[10][11] The film is based on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 and 2002 Gujarat riots.[12][13]

He ran a regular column titled “Unmediated” in the fortnightly Frontline and articles were compiled under the same title and published by Tulika Books, New Delhi in 2013.[14][15] He is also a member of Malcolm and Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust.[16]

In July 2021, along with N. Ram, he approached the Supreme Court and sought a probe into the Pegasus scandal.[17] He also sought the Court to look into the Constitutional validity of the offence of sedition.[18]

Digital platform, Asiaville[edit]

In April 2019, he launched Asiaville, a multi-platform digital media venture.[19][6] Asiaville partnered with Twitter (now X.com) and IIT Madras.[20] In August 2022, Spotify announced a collaboration with Asiaville.that is expected to enable 1000 language podcast creators.[21] In December 2022, Asiaville launched a 20-episode podcast on a 2017 book, Veerappan: Chasing a brigand.[22]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Iniyum Marichittillatha Nammal
2004 Kaya Taran Directorial debut
2009 Loudspeaker
2014 Balyakalasakhi Ameen Sahib
2015 Love 24x7 Dr. Satheesh
2015 Ennu Ninte Moideen

Bibliography[edit]

  • Unmediated: Essays on Media, Culture and Cinema, Tulika Books, 2014

Awards[edit]

  • 2007: Viayaraghavan Memorial Award for his contribution to journalism by Kerala government.[23]
  • 2005: G. Aravindan Award for Best Debut Filmmaker for Kaya Taran.[1]
  • He received the Swadeshabhimani Award by the Government of Kerala in 2012.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Sashi Kumar". MBIFL 2019. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Meet the man behind India's FIRST private TV channel". Rediff. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  3. ^ Samakalika Malayalam weekly, 2010 August 20 Onam special edition Archived 14 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine An interview with Sashi Kumar By O.K Johny-"malayalathinte pinvilikal" page 28-39 (Malayalam)
  4. ^ a b c "Rediff On The NeT Business News: Triangular battle for Asianet scalps Sashi Kumar; Malayalam TV channel market hots up". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Deja vu in Colombo". Frontline. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b Dahiya, Surbhi (14 June 2023). Digital First: Entrepreneurial Journalism in India. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-887973-2.
  7. ^ "S. Suresh Kumar And Etc. Etc. v. Secretary, Kerala State Electricity Board And Others | Kerala High Court | Judgment | Law | CaseMine". www.casemine.com. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Founder of Malayalam channel Asianet Communications V. Sashikumar quits". India Today. 24 May 1999. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Donning the role of a director - Deccan Herald". web.archive.org. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  10. ^ "From Kaya Taran to Loud Speaker". Rediff. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Timesofindia > 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots". web.archive.org. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  12. ^ "The Hindu : When the big tree fell". web.archive.org. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Kaya Taran to Punjab1984: Indian cinema's tryst with anti-sikh riots". Hindustan Times. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  14. ^ "SASHI KUMAR". Frontline. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Sashi Kumar | WEF". 8 June 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Board of Trustees & Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust, Chennai". www.meatrust.in. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Journalists N Ram, Sashi Kumar petition SC to set up probe into Pegasus snooping scandal – The Leaflet". theleaflet.in. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  18. ^ Desk, Web (11 July 2021). "Senior journalist Sashi Kumar approaches SC against sedition offence". madhyamamonline.com. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  19. ^ www.ETBrandEquity.com. "Sashi Kumar launches a new digital venture Asiaville - ET BrandEquity". ETBrandEquity.com. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  20. ^ Bureau, Our (4 April 2019). "New multi-lingual digital venture Asiaville launched". BusinessLine. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Spotify Collaborates with Asiaville to Launch 'Create with Anchor'". The Times of India. 4 August 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  22. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (20 December 2022). "Asiaville launches podcast on capturing Veerappan". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  23. ^ Correspondent, Special (29 July 2021). "First TV lifetime achievement award for Sashi Kumar". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  24. ^ archive, From our online (16 May 2012). "Swadesabhimani-Kesari award to Sashikumar". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sashi Kumar.
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