MEDIA STALWART GUHA DIES AT 68, TRIBUTES POUR IN

MUMBAI: Pradeep Guha, managing director of 9X Media and former president of the Bennett Coleman and Company Ltd (BCCL, also known as the Times Group) passed away in Mumbai on Saturday, August 21. Guha was recently detected with fourth stage liver cancer and was being treated at the city’s Kokilaben Ambani Hospital. The hospital declined to make a statement on the request of Guha’s family. He was 68, and is survived by his wife and their son.

One of his treating doctors said Guha was put on ventilator support on Friday as he was struggling to breathe on his own. “He passed away on Saturday morning,” he said.

An economics graduate from St Xavier’s College in Mumbai, Guha was associated with the Times Group for 29 years between 1976 and 2005. He was appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of Zee Entertainment Enterprises the same year, a position he held until 2008. Between 2008 and 2015, he presided over the Asia Pacific division of the International Advertising Association, a global advertising and marketing body established in 1938. In 2010, he was appointed managing director of 9X Media, a position he held until his death.

Several Hindi cinema and television personalities and publishers took to social media to mourn Guha’s death.

Punit Goenka, MD and CEO and of Zee Entertainment, said, “Devastated to lose my mentor... It is a huge loss for all of us.”

Actor and producer Riteish Deshmukh said, “Extremely saddened... An absolute icon, a marketing genius- be it beauty queens or page 3 events - he gave them a pedestal to shine.”