>Gotitbro: /* Early life */

2021-09-09T10:11:30Z

Early life

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{{Short description|Indian businessman, founder of Newtwork18}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Raghav Bahl
| image =
| caption = Bahl at Forbes Life India Launch
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| education =
| occupation = Businessman
| known for= Founder & former MD, [[Network18 Group]] <br> Founder, [[Quintillion Media]]
| alma_mater = [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St. Stephen's College]] <br> [[Faculty of Management Studies (Delhi)|FMS, Delhi]]
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| spouse = [[Ritu Kapur]]
| children = Tara Bahl, Vidur Bahl
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}}

'''Raghav Bahl''' is an Indian businessman, a serial entrepreneur, and an investor best known for his past ownership of several television channels, including [[TV18]] India. He was the Founding/Controlling shareholder & managing director of [[Network18 Group]], a media group that he started in 1993 and grew into one of the largest collection of media properties in India.<ref name=mishraJune2014>[https://www.livemint.com/Companies/rqT2Oi8fwv4XVjJcHzlcVN/Inside-the-Network18-takeover.html Inside the Network18 takeover], Ashish Mishra, LiveMint (The Hindustan Times Gp), (25 Jun 2014)</ref>

At its peak, the group controlled by Raghav Bahl included media and internet-based media outlets such as in.com, [[IBNLive.com]], [[Moneycontrol.com]], [[Firstpost.com]], Cricketnext, [[Home Shop 18|Homeshop18]], bookmyshow.com, [[Forbes India]], TV channels such as [[Colors TV|Colors]] and some in partnership with international media groups such as NBC TV18, [[CNN-News18|CNN-IBN]], [[IBN7]], [[MTV (Indian TV channel)|MTV]], and [[CNBC Awaaz]].<ref name="mishraJune2014" /><ref name="forbes05302019">[https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghabahree/2014/05/30/reliance-takes-over-network18-is-this-the-death-of-media-independence/ Reliance Takes Over Network18: Is This The Death Of Media Independence?], Forbes, Megha Bahree (30 May 2019)</ref>

By late 2011, according to a ''[[LiveMint]]'' article, Bahl's media group had a large debt, was running in loss and banks were unwilling to lend the group additional capital.<ref name="mishraJune2014" /> Bahl's group sought capital from the [[Reliance Industries Ltd]] in 2012, and two years later [[Reliance Industries Limited|Reliance]] took over the media empire and Bahl left the [[Network18 Group|Network18]] group on 29 May 2014.<ref name="mishraJune2014" /><ref name="forbes05302019" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/-my-dream-to-own-a-newspaper-is-dead-/1294286/0/ | title=My dream to own a newspaper is dead | date=30 September 2014 | newspaper=The Financial Express | accessdate=21 October 2018 }}</ref>

After departing from the Network18 group, Bahl co-founded [[The Quint|Quintillion Media Pvt Ltd]] with his wife [[Ritu Kapur]]. This media group controls Thequint.com.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/people/ritu-kapur|title=Ritu Kapur {{!}} Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism|last=ideas@global-initiative.com|first=Global Initiative|publisher=University of Oxford|language=en|access-date=9 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.outlookbusiness.com/specials/women-of-worth_2017/the-newsmaker-3979|title=The Newsmaker – Ritu Kapur|work=Outlook Business|access-date=9 September 2018}}</ref> Bahl's new venture entered a joint venture agreement with [[Bloomberg L.P.]] to launch [[BloombergQuint]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Choudhary|first1=Vidhi|title=Bloomberg said to be in talks with Raghav Bahl for joint venture|url=http://www.livemint.com/Companies/E0YW0I2zYkmAajGbIJ2UuI/Bloomberg-said-to-be-in-talks-with-Raghav-Bahl-for-joint-ven.html|website=Livemint|publisher=HT Media Ltd|accessdate=31 March 2017|date=26 January 2016}}</ref>

==Early life==
He received his schooling from [[St. Xavier's School, Delhi]]. He graduated in Economics Honors from [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St. Stephens College]], and then did a Masters in Business Administration from the [[Faculty of Management Studies (Delhi)|Faculty of Management Studies]].<ref name="urlFMS alumnus and media baron writes book on next superpower">{{cite web |url=http://www.mbauniverse.com/article.php?id=3163|title=FMS alumnus and media baron writes book on next superpower|accessdate=9 March 2010 }}</ref>

His sister, Vandana Malik, also served in various positions under the Network18 Group. Her daughter and Bahl's niece, Avantika Malik, is married to Bollywood actor [[Imran Khan (Bollywood actor)|Imran Khan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Meet Imran Khan's bride|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/meet-imran-khans-bride/20110104.htm|date=2011-01-04|author=|website=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref>

==Career==
He began his career as a management consultant with [[A.F. Ferguson & Co]], followed by a stint with [[American Express Bank]], and later moved on to media. Raghav has over 22 years experience in television and journalism.<ref>[http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/211699/Review-Superpower-The-Amazing-Race-Between-China-s-Hare-And-India-s-Tortoise-by-Raghav-B Book Review: Super Power]. ''Daily Express''. Retrieved 25 August 2014.</ref>

He started his career in media in 1985 as a Correspondent and Anchorperson for [[Doordarshan]]. He was the Anchorperson and Production Consultant for India's first monthly video news magazine, ''Newstrack'', produced by the ''[[India Today]]'' group. From 1991 to 1993, he was the Executive Director of Business India Television and produced the Business India Show and Business A.M. on [[Doordarshan]].{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

In 1999, he launched [[CNBC-TV18]]. He was responsible for directing most of the work of TV18 and channels like [[CNBC-Awaaz]], [[Nickelodeon]] and [[Colors (TV)|Colors]]. Raghav served as the managing director of [[TV18]] Group till July 2014.

By attracting media talent such as [[Rajdeep Sardesai]] and Sameer Manchanda, Bahl built an audience for his media properties.

By late 2011, Bahl's media group had amassed a large debt, was running in loss and banks were unwilling to lend the group additional capital.<ref name="mishraJune2014" /> Bahl's group sought capital from the [[Reliance Industries Ltd]] in 2012.<ref name="mishraJune2014" /> Bahl then brought the losses in his group under control, laid off hundreds of employees in his media group, closed or trimmed many of the properties within the group, according to the [[Livemint.com|''LiveMint''.]]<ref name="mishraJune2014" /><ref>[https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/network-effect Reliance and right-wing politics gain a foothold in Raghav Bahl's media empire], Rahul Bhatia, The Caravan Magazine, (30 November 2013)</ref>

Two years later, in 2014, under the terms of this financing agreement, [[Reliance Industries Limited|Reliance]] took over the Network18 group. With the change in ownership, Bahl left the [[Network18 Group]] in 2014.<ref name="mishraJune2014" />

After leaving the Network18 Group, he founded [[The Quint|Quintillion Media]], a digital startup that publishes ''[[The Quint]]'', along with his wife [[Ritu Kapur]] on 8 July 2014.

==Writing==
He has authored three books:

* ''Super Power? The Amazing Race Between China's Hare and India's Tortoise'' (Penguin, 2012)
* ''SuperEconomies: America, India, China, and the Future of the World'' (Penguin, 2016)
* ''Super Century: What India Must Do to Rise by 2050'' (Penguin, 2019)

==Awards==
* In 1994, the [[World Economic Forum]] called Raghav a Global Leader of Tomorrow, and he won India's [[Sanskriti Foundation|Sanskriti Award for Journalism]].
* In 2007, he was named [[Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year]] for Business Transformation.
* In 2008, he won the [[Indian Telly Award]] for Lifetime Contribution to Indian Television.
* In 2011, he won the [[All India Management Association]]'s Media Person of the Year award, as well as the Bombay Management Association's prize for Entrepreneur of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet/raghav-bahl-news-site-quint/46582054 |title = Raghav Bahl's mobile-first news site the Quint goes live – ETtech}}</ref>
*In 2017, he won the ISOMES SAMMAN by BAG Network24's in their Media Fest "MANTHAN".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/news24online-epaper-newsonline/news+24+honours+shobhana+bhartia+with+isomes+samman+2018-newsid-84244234|title=News 24 honours Shobhana Bhartia with ISOMES Samman 2018 – News24online|website=Dailyhunt|language=en|access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref>

== Controversy ==

* The Income tax department had raided Bahl's premises in Noida in October 2018 on charges of "bogus long term capital gains (LTCG) received by various beneficiaries" and other charges of tax evasion.<ref>
{{Cite web|last=Scroll Staff|title=Income Tax raids on Raghav Bahl, Quint and News Minute raise questions of media intimidation|url=https://scroll.in/article/897932/income-tax-raids-on-raghav-bahl-quint-and-news-minute-raise-questions-of-media-intimidation|access-date=2020-07-27|website=[[Scroll.in]]|language=en-US}}</ref>

* Bahl had allegedly made ₹1.14 billion out of an investment of ₹30.3 million made in a penny stock company called PMC Fincorp that was promoted by a certain Raj Kumar Modi in 2011. Raj Kumar Modi is managing director of PMC Fincorp.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sarkar|first=Gaurav|date=22 October 2018|title=Tax raids on Quint: ‘I remember Ritu Kapur and Raghav Bahl got ₹100 crore converted’|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2018/10/22/part-1-quint-raghav-bahl-quint-it-raid-pmc-fincorp-shares|access-date=2020-07-27|website=Newslaundry|language=en}}</ref>
* ED also filed a case against Bahl regarding Money Laundering.<ref>{{Cite news|title=ED files money laundering case against journalist Raghav Bahl|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ed-files-money-laundering-case-against-journalist-raghav-bahl/articleshow/69691946.cms|access-date=2020-07-27}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Twitter|Raghav_Bahl}}
* [https://penguin.co.in/book_author/raghav-bahl/ Raghav Bahl] at [[Penguin India]]

{{Network 18|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahl, Raghav}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Faculty of Management Studies – University of Delhi alumni]]
[[Category:Indian television directors]]
[[Category:University of Delhi alumni]]

Raghav Bahl - Revision history

>Gotitbro: /* Early life */