Shobhana Bhartia
Encyclopedia
Shobhana Bhartia is the Chairperson and Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times
group, one of India
's leading newspaper and media houses. She has also recently taken charge as the Pro Chancellor of Birla Institute of Technology and Science
, Pilani.
She looks after editorial as well as financial aspects, and is credited with raising Rs. 400 crore
through a public equity launch of the HT Media group in September 2005. The name is sometimes written Shobhana Bharatiya or Bhartiya, but
the preferred spelling is Bhartia.
patriarchs. The KK Birla family owned
75.36 per cent stake in HT Media, valued at Rs 834 crore
in 2004
She is a graduate of Calcutta University, and is married to
Shyam Sunder Bhartia, Chairman of the Rs.
14-billion Pharma firm
Jubilant LifeScience Limited (a spinoff from the earlier chemicals
venture Vam Organics). Shyam Sunder Bhartia is son of Late Mohan Lal Bhartia. Their son Shamit Bhartia is also a Director
at the HT Media group, and also looks after lifestyle businesses such as the
Domino's Pizza
franchise and also convenience store chain
Monday to Sunday in Bangalore.
considered to be one of the motive forces behind the transformation of the Hindustan Times "into a bright, young paper."
In February 2006, Shobhana was nominated to the Rajya Sabha
, the upper house of parliament, on a recommendation by the ruling United Progressive Alliance
headed by Sonia Gandhi
. The nomination, reserved for eminent people from the
fields of literature, science,art and social service, was challenged in the
Supreme Court of India
on the grounds that she was a "media baron" and not a journalist,
and that she was politically affiliated with the Indian National Congress
. However, the court dismissed the appeal at the admission stage itself, saying that the scope of "social service" was broad enough to include her.
She has been quite active in the Rajya Sabha, asking frequent questions and also introducing "The Child Marriage (Abolition) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2006".
After the Congress government came to power in 2004, she was one of the first
Padma Shree award nominees in 2005. The award was given for journalism,
but critics have felt that she is more of a business person than a
journalist. Both this Padma Shree award, as well as the Rajya Sabha
nomination, both during the UPA
regime, have led to
claims that these are rewards for a certain bias towards the Indian National Congress
,
especially with respect to editorial policy at the Hindustan Times
and
particularly to Sonia Gandhi
.
She has received the Global Leader of Tomorrow award by the
World Economic Forum
(1996). She is also the recipient of
the Outstanding Business Woman of the Year, 2001, by PHD
Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and
National Press India Award, 1992.
She has also won the Business Woman award, The Economic Times Awards
for Corporate Excellence awards 2007.
She is currently the chair of Endeavor India.
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
group, one of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's leading newspaper and media houses. She has also recently taken charge as the Pro Chancellor of Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, is a private university located in Pilani, Rajasthan, India. BITS Pilani is considered one of the most prestigious and selective universities in India...
, Pilani.
She looks after editorial as well as financial aspects, and is credited with raising Rs. 400 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
through a public equity launch of the HT Media group in September 2005. The name is sometimes written Shobhana Bharatiya or Bhartiya, but
the preferred spelling is Bhartia.
Background
Shobhana is the daughter of the industrialist KK Birla, and granddaughter of GD Birla, one of the Birla familyBirla family
The Birla family is one of the foremost business houses in India. The fore-father of the Birla family is Shiv Narain Birla, a member of the Marwari community from Pilani, in the westerly state of Rajasthan. He moved to Bombay around 1857 to establish a trading house. His son, Baldeodas Birla moved...
patriarchs. The KK Birla family owned
75.36 per cent stake in HT Media, valued at Rs 834 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
in 2004
She is a graduate of Calcutta University, and is married to
Shyam Sunder Bhartia, Chairman of the Rs.
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
14-billion Pharma firm
Jubilant LifeScience Limited (a spinoff from the earlier chemicals
venture Vam Organics). Shyam Sunder Bhartia is son of Late Mohan Lal Bhartia. Their son Shamit Bhartia is also a Director
at the HT Media group, and also looks after lifestyle businesses such as the
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
franchise and also convenience store chain
Monday to Sunday in Bangalore.
Media career
When Shobhana joined Hindustan Times in 1986, she was the first woman chief executive of a national newspaper and probably one of the youngest. She isconsidered to be one of the motive forces behind the transformation of the Hindustan Times "into a bright, young paper."
In February 2006, Shobhana was nominated to the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
, the upper house of parliament, on a recommendation by the ruling United Progressive Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
The United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
headed by Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
. The nomination, reserved for eminent people from the
fields of literature, science,art and social service, was challenged in the
Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
on the grounds that she was a "media baron" and not a journalist,
and that she was politically affiliated with the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. However, the court dismissed the appeal at the admission stage itself, saying that the scope of "social service" was broad enough to include her.
She has been quite active in the Rajya Sabha, asking frequent questions and also introducing "The Child Marriage (Abolition) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2006".
After the Congress government came to power in 2004, she was one of the first
Padma Shree award nominees in 2005. The award was given for journalism,
but critics have felt that she is more of a business person than a
journalist. Both this Padma Shree award, as well as the Rajya Sabha
nomination, both during the UPA
United Progressive Alliance
The United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
regime, have led to
claims that these are rewards for a certain bias towards the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
,
especially with respect to editorial policy at the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
and
particularly to Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
.
She has received the Global Leader of Tomorrow award by the
World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
(1996). She is also the recipient of
the Outstanding Business Woman of the Year, 2001, by PHD
Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and
National Press India Award, 1992.
She has also won the Business Woman award, The Economic Times Awards
Economic Times Awards
The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence are the awards conferred by The Economic Times in the field of business, corporate and government policies, economies in India...
for Corporate Excellence awards 2007.
She is currently the chair of Endeavor India.