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Pradeep Guha | |
|---|---|
| Died | 21 August 2021 Mumbai, India |
| Education | BA in economics |
| Alma mater | St. Xavier's College, Mumbai Don Bosco High School, Matunga |
| Occupation(s) | Media personality, advertising professional and film producer |
| Spouse | Papia Guha |
| Children | 1 |
Pradeep Guha, also known asPG (died 21 August 2021) was an Indian media personality, advertising professional and film producer.[1][2] He is best known for his work atBennett, Coleman and Company (BCCL), the publisher ofThe Times of India, where he served for almost three decades (1976-2005) and transformed the flagship newspaper and magazine brands such asFilmfare andFemina.[3][4] He also served as CEO ofZee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, and managing director of9X Media Private Limited. He was credited with introducing several innovative practices in the Indian media industry. He was also known for producing films such asFiza (2000) andPhir Kabhi (2008).[5][6]
Pradeep Guha was an alumnus ofSt. Xavier's College in Mumbai, where he studied BA in economics.[6] He went to school at Don Bosco in Mumbai.[7]
Pradeep Guha started his career atThe Times Group, where he worked for almost three decades and served as the president of the company. He later joinedZee Entertainment as CEO for three years.[8]
He was the Area Director and VP of Asia Pacific of theInternational Advertising Association from 2008 to 2013. He was the managing director of Culture Company during the period 2008 – 2010. From 2005 to 2009, he was working as the CEO ofZee Entertainment Enterprises and he was the President ofBennett, Coleman and Co (Times Group) from 1986 – 2005.[9]
When he took over as managing director of9X Media in March 2009, the company was a loss making company. He sold the entire loss-making area of the network Hindi entertainment channel,9X, toZee Entertainment. He then turned his focus to the music channel9XM and in just four years, he turned the company into a profit-making Rs 200-crore network. He launched four more new music channels at both national and international levels named9XO (international music),9X Jalwa (all-time Bollywood hits),9X Tashan (Punjabi) and9X Jhakaas (Marathi).[10]
He has served on the boards ofRaymond Ltd, Puravankara Projects Ltd andWhistling Woods International. He had served as the President ofThe Indian Newspaper Society, Chairman of the National Readership Studies Council and President of the Advertising Club Bombay. Guha was the first Chairman of theBroadcast Audience Research Council and was elected as the chairman of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations.[11]
Guha has also contributed to liberal journalism and to setting up the Centre of Education and Documentation (CED) in Mumbai, a news clipping library that was used by hundreds of students and researchers before the internet and Google made it irrelevant.[6]
He was suffering from cancer and receiving treatment for a few years before passing away on 21 August 2021, at theKokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. His death was announced by his wife Papia Guha and son Sanket Guha in a statement issued to the media.[12] At the time of his death, he was 70 years old.[13]
Pradeep Guha's death was condoled by many in the film and media industry,[14] includingManoj Bajpayee,Subhash Ghai andAdnan Sami, among other film industry figures, shared their condolences on social media upon news of Pradeep Guha's death.Priyanka Chopra also shared a heartfelt note on Instagram, praising Guha's contributions to her journey in Bollywood.Vineet Jain, MD of Times Group andSubhash Chandra, chairman emeritus ofZEE and chairman ofEssel Group also paid condolence to him.[15]
In 2022, a book titled "Pradeep Guha The Legend I Know" was launched on 6 June 2022, which was Pradeep Guha's 70th birthday. The book carried short but eloquent write-ups focusing on the memories of interactions between Guha and celebrities and head honchos from media, advertising and cinema.[3][16]
In 2022, theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai's governing civil body named a road after Guha. The signboard saying "Pradeep Guha Chowk" was placed right below the window of the room which was his cabin at the Times of India.[17]
The Times of India Group has instituted the Pradeep Guha Trophy for the category of Young Emvie of the Year, in his honour.[18]