When women turn trials and tribulations into transformation and triumphs, it calls for celebration! Applauding and encouraging such women is the second edition of the She Slays Awards, hosted by Health Shots, a digital health and wellness platform by HT Media for Indian millennial women.

After its first virtual edition in 2022, this time, the She Slays Awards will be a grand on-ground event in New Delhi on April 13th, 2023, where women who have smashed stereotypes, overcome bias and slayed their goals will be felicitated. A line-up of exemplary women achievers and change-makers across various fields such as sustainability, body positivity, sports, wellness, mental health, healthcare, technology, social welfare and sexual health awareness will be a part of the special gala.

Puneet Jain, Chief Executive Officer - HT Digital News, says, “Women are born with an innate power to lead, be decision makers, innovate and facilitate positive change. At Hindustan Times, we are proud to celebrate the passion and perseverance of such Indian women path-breakers with the She Slays Awards.”

An esteemed 6-member jury panel, including Sonal Kalra, Chief Managing Editor, Lifestyle and Entertainment, Hindustan Times, Live Hindustan Executive Editor Jayanti Ranganathan, veteran beauty expert Dr Blossom Kochchar, Arjuna Award-winning rifle shooter Anjali Bhagwat, Cosmos Maya CEO Megha Tata, Suchitra Rajendra, CEO and Founder QEDHR and environmentalist-activist Ripudaman Bevli will review the She Slays Awards nominees across 13 competitive categories. The winners will be chosen based on equal percentage vote of share by the jury and audience votes through social media. Apart from these, a set of special honorary awards will also be given out at the event.

Ankush Kaul, Chief Business Officer - Ambience Group, “In these times of global awakening towards building a more inclusive and equitable environment for women, we are proud to be associated with this noble initiative of HT Health Shots She Slays Awards. Celebrating women trailblazers will go a long way in inspiring more women to come forward and be the change they want to see.”

She Slays, a Health Shots initiative, highlights stories, achievements and challenges of women who chase their dreams and desires, question the status quo, break deep-rooted bias, display grit and guts, and remain unstoppable in the face of adversity. From sportswomen MC Mary Kom and Mirabai Chanu to actors Taapsee Pannu, Masaba Gupta, Rakul Preet Singh and more from the celebrity world, She Slays has featured leading entrepreneurs, breast cancer survivors, yoga experts, body positivity champions and more.

Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Director - Vedanta Limited. “With empowerment, determination and strength to break free from deep-rooted societal norms which perpetuate gender discrimination, women today are breaking all barriers & creating history. It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with the HT HealthShots She Slays Awards which encourages more women to chase their dreams.”

Shipra Yadav, Business Head, Health Shots, says, “She Slays has been a passion project for Health Shots since its inception in 2019. As a digital platform that prioritizes healthcare for women, making their voices heard is at the heart of everything we do. Bringing the maiden on-ground She Slays Awards event together is a culmination of our concerted efforts towards building a community of women who inspire and empower future generations.”

Health Shots brings expert-recommended, industry influencer-supported and study-backed information to help you move towards a healthier lifestyle. To know more about She Slays and to read these inspirational stories of women, visit the Health Shots website here.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Sandhya Devanathan, Gerd Leonhard, Calum Chace, Gautam Aggarwal, Akhil Gupta, Deep Kalra and Ravi Garg among others to headline the event

Themed, The Future Begins Here’, India Digital Fest to be held on March 28, 2023, in New Delhi

Times Network, India’s premium broadcast network announced India Digital Fest (IDF), to be held on March 28, 2023 in New Delhi. Themed ‘The Future Begins Here’ India Digital Fest will highlight frontline technologies and disruptive innovations that are being implemented across the Indian ecosystem and analyse how they will truly shape the future of a digitally powered economy and society. A definitive platform for the brightest minds, visionaries and disruptors to throw light on the upcoming disruptions across tech domains, IDF will chart a roadmap to harness the full potential of frontline technologies to transform a nation on the rise.

Analysing key trends across domains with curated sessions on 5G, digital gaming, future of travel, hospitality & leisure in digital age, digital banking, AI vs Human Imagination etc., the day-long event will witness eminent speakers including Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, Sandhya Devanathan, Head & VP, India, Meta, Gerd Leonhard, Futurist & Humanist, Calum Chace, Author & Futurist, Akhil Gupta, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises, Deep Kalra, Founder and Chairman, MakeMyTrip, Ravi Garg, Director - Business Messaging India, Meta, Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia, Mastercard, Sameer Nair, Managing Director, Applause Entertainment, Amit Sharma, CTO, Dream 11, Rameesh Kailasam, CEO, India Tech.Org, Siddharth Kedia, Group CEO, NODWIN Gaming, Sam Balsara, Founder, Chairman and MD, Madison World and Madison Communications, Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Media Brand, Shuvadip Banerjee, CMO, ITC, Arun Iyer, Founder, Spring Marketing Capital, Manoj Bajpayee, Actor amongst others.

MK Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said, “As the nation’s most influential News network, we are committed to driving India's growth story through our news channels and established Summit platforms such as India Economic Conclave, Times Now Summit, Leaders of Tomorrow etc. The digital revolution is well underway in India, and the country is rapidly establishing itself as a major player in the global digital economy. Powering India’s transformation to a digitally empowered society, India Digital Fest is a definitive platform to decrypt the full potential of our digital capabilities and showcase the future shaped by the power of transformative technologies. Through immersive experience of technological innovations and collaborative discussions with eminent tech leaders and policymakers on topics including future of warfare, skilling India's future ready workforce, co-existence of AI and humanity etc., I am confident IDF will be a catalyst in developing decisive strategies that will drive India’s digital future.”

Speaking on the partnership, Ravi Garg, Director - Business Messaging, India, Meta said "We are delighted to partner Times Network for ‘India Digital Fest’ to showcase our shared vision for India's digital future. India Digital Fest is a coveted platform championing India’s digital transformation journey. As a mobile-first nation, India’s digital landscape is evolving rapidly and we are confident that WhatsApp will play a key role in empowering India’s digital transformation for consumers and businesses alike. India Digital Fest will also spotlight the ‘Let’s Talk Growth’ campaign which talks about new models of growth on digital, for businesses of all sizes and empower them to take the next big leap.”

The vibrant India Digital Fest will also feature an immersive, experiential zone to showcase cutting-edge technologies from the most influential tech leaders in the Digital Universe as well as homegrown innovations. This includes India’s first homegrown jet suit – the brainchild of Raghav Reddy (Founder, Absolute Composites), the pioneers of drone swarm technology in India – represented by Dr. Sarita Alahwat (MD & Co-Founder, BotLab Dynamics) and the maker of India’s first flying electric taxi – represented by Prof. Satyanarayanan Chakravarthy (Founder, The ePlane Company). The event will also witness a special act by world-renowned Digital Illusionist, Technology Magician & Futurist, Keelan Leyser, who will illustrate possibilities of a magical future powered by digital technologies.

 India Digital Fest is presented by WhatsApp.

The Bhojpuri superstar and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ravi Kishan, who is hailed as Dev Anand of the Bhojpuri film industry faced tough questions from India TV Editor-in-Chief and Chairman Rajat Sharma in his much-loved and popular show, Aap Ki Adalat.

Ravi Kishan candidly answered Rajat Sharma's questions on his journey from cinema to politics, while he wins the hearts of the audience with his many popular dialogues, he revealed how Bigg Boss changed his life. He even accepted that he became arrogant after getting success in Bhojpuri films.

When did Rajat Sharma ask him did Bigg Boss reform you? Ravi Kishan said, "I had become arrogant after my movies became hits. My wife advised me to join Bigg Boss. After initial reluctance, I went. After remaining locked in their set for three months, when I came out, I had changed a lot. Not only I became popular, but I became a normal person. I sorted out my family life, my wife and children, during that period. After I came out of three months of 'prison' (qaid), I became a prisoner of spirituality. Bigg Boss affected my life deeply."

He added, When you are locked in for a period, you either deteriorate (bigad jaye) or you reform yourself. You have time on your hands, no mobile, no TV, nothing. Whatever you do, you use your brain. Rajat Sharma also asked about the risk of joining Bigg Boss as he had 17 films in hand.

To which Ravi Kishan answered, "It was a big risk. I thought by the time I come out, there will be many new heroes. In the film industry, if you are missing for even two days, new heroes emerge. It is natural. Nobody waits for you. We live under a false impression that the industry runs because of you. Nobody should have such a false impression. The wheel of time moves. I knew I was taking a risk, for the sake of my family".

For the unversed, Ravi Kishan appeared on the first season of the famous reality show Bigg Boss. Though he didn't win the show, he ended up being the second runner-up.

Watch Dhawan on Seedhi Baat as he taken on tough question on his future in cricket. Replacement by Shubhman Gill.

Not too long ago, Shikhar Dhawan was India's ultimate ICC player, but in an ODI World Cup year, he finds himself out of contention. Shikhar Dhawan can be seen facing tough questions from Sudhir Chaudhary on the upcoming episode of Seedhi Baat. The viewers can also expect a response to speculations on his retirement and his zeal to make a comeback with just seven months to go for the ICC ODI World Cup?

In this special episode, Shikhar Dhawan will also talk about his troubled marriage, his relationship with M S Dhoni, on his time as Captain of the team, his style statement, his views on joining politics, Shubhman Gill replacing him in the team and his advice to Rishabh Pant who is on the road to recovery after a deadly accident. Watch the ‘Gabbar’ of Indian Cricket Shikhar Dhawan answer all such questions in a very hard hitting and to the point interview.

Seedhi Baat is a one-on-one interview format show which features newsmakers from different walks of life like Politics, Bollywood, Sports, Business among others. This year, the iconic show differentiates itself with its quintessential its conversational style and embodies a friendly yet inquisitely approach to interviews. The show has made a comeback on Aaj Tak with India’s popular anchor, host and senior journalist, Sudhir Chaudhary and airs on Saturday at 9pm. In this season, the show already had Akshay Kumar, J P Nadda and Kapil Sharma as guests.

Shortlisted Entries include Bono On Q With Tom Power, Pink Card, The First Interview with Lionel Messi as World Champion, and Ka Pō Ka Ao - Rob Ruha and the Auckland Philharmonia

New York Festivals® 2023 Radio Awards competition announced the Shortlist.

Captivating audio entries created by storytellers from around the world were judged online by NYF’s Radio Awards Grand Jury to determine the 2023 Shortlist. Shortlisted entries include audiobooks, podcasts, dramas, documentaries, breaking news coverage, entertainment, and music specials from radio stations, networks, prominent production companies and independent producers.

For 2023, Podcasts dominated the Shortlist with the Grand Jury advancing 105 Podcast entries to the next round. Podcasts engaged listeners with entries in multiple categories including Drama, Comedy, Sports, Entertainment, Series, Technology, News Business, and Social Justice.

View the 2023 Shortlist.

Shortlisted Podcast entries include “Pink Card” and “A Streetball Mixtape” for ESPN, “You, Me and the Big C: Putting the Can in Cancer” BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds, “Post Reports” The Washington Post, ”Start Here” ABC News, “Abortion: The Body Politic, with Katie Couric“ iHeart Media, “The Take” Al Jazeera English Online, “The Big Take” Bloomberg Podcasts, “The Cruelty - A Child Unclaimed” BBC Scotland Productions, “Mother Country Radicals” Crooked Media, “The Outlaw Ocean Podcast” The Outlaw Ocean Project, “The Children in the Pictures” LiSTNR, “Bhaskar Bose” MnM Talkies, “Obscene: The Dublin Scandal” BBC Studios, “Immersion Rwanda” Radio-Canada, “The German Energy Dilemma” Deutsche Welle (DW),” Please Protect Abraham” Whistledown, “Grey Areas with Petra Bagust” CBA Trust (Christian Broadcasting Association), “The Commune” Stuff, “The Last Cup/La última copa, National Public Radio, “Inside Ghosts” Bafflegab Productions “Ukraine War Diaries” Sky News, “Deepest Dive: The Search for MH370” Whistledown, and “Redacted Lives” Redacted Lives.

Audio Books advanced, Shortlisted entries include “Bombs on Aunt Dainty,” “Menopausing,” “Her Majesty’s Royal Coven,” and “Meanwhile Back on Earth” HarperCollins Publishers; “A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré 1945-2020,” “Manorism,” Penguin Random House UK, “And They Lived...” Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, “Dorikithene Donga” Entertainment Network India Limited, “Là où je me terre (My Place of Refuge)” Radio-Canada, “What if Ganda had run away?” Radio Grenouille, “The Night Raven” Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company, and “Never To Return - By Jack Cartwright” Graham Mack.

Documentaries were in the spotlight engaging listeners with riveting stories and unique points of view. Entries advancing include “Burn Wild” BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds, “Genias in Music: La Lupe” Futuro Media Group, “Fungi: The New Frontier” Loftus Media, “Powerplay: The House of Sepp Blatter” Whistledown, “Falsely Accused” Clare FM, “Bible John: Creation of A Serial Killer” BBC Scotland Productions, “Like a reed in the wind” ORF - Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, “The Rise Of LGBT+ Football Fan Groups” Virgin Radio UK, “The CCP Owns Your Womb - Tragedies of China’s Birth Control Policy “ Radio Free Asia, “Al Jazeera Investigates - The Labour Files - The Rise EP 1” Aljazeera Media Network, “The Forgotten Mammal of Dokdo: Kangchi” Seoul Media Foundation TBS, “Moment of Truth” Folding Pocket Productions, and “London 2012: From Wasteland to Gold Rush” Curtains For Radio Ltd.

Breaking news, feature and investigative reports captured events and provocative topics unfolding on the world stage. Shortlisted entries include “Ukraine Coverage” Al Jazeera English Online, “The Queen has died.” Spoken Media Australia, “The First Interview with Lionel Messi as World Champion” Urbana Play 104.3, “CBC RADIO NEWS: The World at Six - The Face of Hunger” CBC, “Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: Finding Freedom” BBC Radio 4, “The Dylan Down Run” Hot 1027, “Cristina Convicted. Ten Days That Shook Argentina” Radio Mitre, “Teenage Suicide. We have to talk about it” National Radio from Argentine The Public Radio, “Powerplay: The House of Sepp Blatter” Whistledown, and “Blade Running Victoriously through Life” Music Broadcast Limited.

Entertainment captured the attention of viewers of all ages. Shortlisted entries include “Paul McCartney Tug Of War Track-By-Track Album Special on The Beatles Channel” SiriusXM, “Bono on Q with Tom Power” CBC Radio and Audio, “The Graham Norton Radio Show” Virgin Radio UK, “Rob Beckett” TBI Media, “Ka Pō Ka Ao - Rob Ruha and the Auckland Philharmonia” Radio New Zealand, “Love Pants: Ian Dury and Jane Horrocks” The Foghorn Company, “Noise” Unusual Productions, “JAZZ.FM91's Oscar Peterson Day” Jazz.FM91, “Mavgeeks Track Santa” BFBS, “21st Century Folk” 7digital Creative, “Radio Monkey's Sound Calendar” Sveriges Radio, “Cool Skool Sketch Show” Unusual Productions, and “Cereal” RTÉ Radio 1, and “The History of Rock 'N' Roll” Reserve Productions, LLC.

Entertainment Mini-Series Shortlisted include “Quite a Queer Conversation” Virgin Radio UK and “Carte blanche à Philippe-Audrey Larrue Saint-Jacques” Radio-Canada.

View the View the 2023 Shortlist.

New for 2023, the National Press Club Award will go to the highest scoring entry in these news program categories: Best Coverage Of Breaking News Story, Best Coverage Of Ongoing News Story, Best Nonfiction Series and News Podcast. The winner will be announced during the New York Festivals 2023 Storytellers Gala virtual event on April 18th.

The New York Festivals Radio Awards 65-year legacy provides a showcase to celebrate world-class storytellers from around the globe. Since 1957 the competition has celebrated innovation and excellence in broadcast audio content across all genres and platforms keeping pace with industry developments and global trends.

All Entries in the 2023 competition were screened online by NYF’s Radio Awards international Grand Jury of 200+ producers, directors, writers, and other creative media professionals from around the globe and judged on the following set of criteria: production values, creativity, content presentation, direction, writing, achievement of purpose and audience suitability.

Award-winning entries will be announced during the New York Festivals 2023 Storytellers Gala virtual event on April 18th. All winners will be showcased on the Radio Awards winners gallery.

To view the 2023 NYF Radio Award Shortlist, visit: HERE.