Leaders

In this age of pandemics, we must pay close attention to our physical health. A healthy lifestyle includes things like sticking to a regular diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and drinking enough water. Maintaining a healthy body requires a diet that supports the body in the ways it needs. As a result, the first lifestyle television network in the world, Ayush TV, was launched to spread information about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and educate the next generation about traditional and therapeutic methods, also promoting preventive measures through Indian medicine. Today, Nitya Hari is the driving force behind modern Ayush TV, which advocates for holistic health and Yoga to revive traditional therapeutic methods.

Nitya started her career with Kamadhenu Telefilms, the parent organization of Ayush TV. Nitya Hari has an educational background in engineering, but she decided to pursue her interest in the media industry instead. She got her start in the industry as an intern at the Viacom 18 Tamil channel and is now a leader at Ayush TV, where she is responsible for the whole digital operation.

Below is an excerpt of Nitya Hari’s exclusive interaction with the Women Entrepreneur magazine.

Give us a brief overview of Ayush TV. What are some important features of your expertise as Head of Digital?

Ayush TV is the first health, wellness, and lifestyle television station in the world, and it is the creation of Kamadhenu Telefilms, which previously launched the spiritual channel, Sri SankaraTV. Sri Sankara TV, which targets those interested in spirituality, was launched in 2008; and in 2017, Ayush TV, focused on health and wellbeing, debuted with a little shift in focus. The Ayush TV network is now its independent entity. In my previous assignment in the spiritual channel which was successful in spreading Indian culture and tradition and devotional programs to the masses across the globe, now trying to spread wellness and proper lifestyle more so the ancient Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Siddha, and more. to the world. Before starting this position, I needed to have a comprehensive understanding of the digital landscape and the kind of content that would most appeal to our target audience. I hope that by using this forum, I will be successful in introducing the next generation of health-conscious individuals to the country's traditional medical approaches.

What are the various roles & responsibilities that you shoulder at Ayush TV? Tell us about some key business challenges that you face in your current role and how you counter them.

Working as the Head of Digital at Ayush TV is a real treat, despite the weight of responsibility that comes with the position. I make sure that every new program shown on television is also made available on all relevant digital platforms promptly. As for us, we don't just stick to one activity; we multitask. As a result, I carry a significant duty, and one of the obstacles we must overcome is that television is increasingly being seen as a conventional medium due to the rise of OTT platforms. To that end, as we enter an era in which conventional media is giving way to digital, I'm doing everything I can to guide the enterprise upon this transition, as well as, to the demands of digital viewers, and the best ways to shape our content to appeal to those consumers.

"I aim to introduce the next generation of health-conscious individuals to the country's traditional medical approaches for preventing an ailment-free society"

Our primary interest is in the novel sphere of health and way of life. It's a challenge for us to find original ways to implant this idea in people's minds. Even though we have a sizable following in conventional media, it is quite difficult to convert them to our digital channels. In addition, it is challenging to respond to the demands of 20-plus age audiences on our digital platform, as well as to display and distribute health and wellness information to them. Moreover, I made sure that everything is entertaining and promoted it as such. To make our digital platforms more interesting, we, for example, re-imagine conventional content in interesting ways.

I also engaged with the creative and content team to give useful programs, especially to the youth in wellness and lifestyle.

What are some of the key business strategies and tools that you leverage to ensure organizational success?

My colleagues have done a wonderful job of appealing to the senior population, but since I joined the team, my focus has shifted to the younger demographic to provide value to today's youngsters. Modern youngsters have a far greater emphasis on health and exercise than previous generations. Therefore, I am mostly concerned with how to reach them by delivering material such as our traditional Indian medical systems' emphasis on a balanced diet and restorative yoga practices.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a business leader?

In terms of corporate milestones, I would place my start date within the COVID era, which is when I officially became a part of the organization. Moreover, I have been given the chance to impart my expertise to more than a hundred college students and deploy their abilities in our organization. Indeed, it was a fascinating experience. I instructed them on the technicalities of production, pre-production, and both traditional and modern programming techniques. Because it's always a challenge to impart information to the next generation, I consider it a major accomplishment. Also, during the pandemic, it was a huge opportunity for multitasking where even the program concepts were conceptualized, directed the shows, and appropriate anchoring persons could not travel due to restrictions. I took up the role of even hosting the shows which was a huge success in terms of enhancing viewership and revenue generation. For which feat. Was awarded the best employee award for that season.

Nitya Hari, Head Of Digital, Ayush TV

Nitya did her engineering education from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology. Further, as she was interested in building a career in the field of media, she began her professional journey with Viacom 18 Tamil and also was a part of KBC Tamil. Currently, Nitya Hari is serving as the Head of Digital at Ayush TV.