Independence Day: News channels present special programmes

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
As India celebrates its 62nd Independence Day, news channels are presenting a series of special programmes that will reflect on the last 62 years of independence and its importance. They have sufficient fodder to highlight several issues facing the nation today and as part of their I-Day packages, news channels have lined up a series of thought-provoking shows this year.

English News
On the eve of Independence Day, NDTV 24X7 will bring a special debate on Indo-Pak Relationship: 62 Years After. The show hosted by Vikram Chandra from India and Munizae Jahangir from Karachi. The channel will also introduce a special episode of The Big Fight at 8:00 pm, series The Legends at 5:30 pm on August 15.

CNN-IBN line-up includes State of the Nation, India Rocks, Rewind to 47, Secret Kitchen Flavours of 47, The 1947 Quiz and a special episode on The Citizen Journalist Show. The shows will be aired through this week and on August 15.

State of the Nation returns for its 8th edition on changing attitudes in urban India. It looks at finding answers to the debate whether Indian society is ready to shake of its conservatism. India Rocks also returns with its 8th edition, with a Children of Change theme, which will bring children from various parts of the country to recite a poem.

Rewind to 47 is a special show on people who were around in 1947 and what was life like way back then. The show will have celebrities like Dev Anand, Zohra Segal, Alyque Padamsee, Ruskin Bond, Soli Sorabjee, Milkha Singh, Narendar Singh Sarila and Saraswati Rajamani.

Bikramjit Ray returns with special episode of Secret Kitchen Flavours of '47 that will take viewers through what happened on August 14-15 in Delhi. Citizen Journalist Show will have relatives of the army men turning CJ and highlighting cases where the sacrifices by officers didn't get sufficient significance.

On Times Now, the slew of special programming comprises of Midnight's Children, Total Recall-India @ 62, The Foodie at National Defence Academy, Heroes of Freedom and Frankly Speaking.

Midnight's Children will follow the lives of five people who share their date of birth with that of Independent India. Total Recall: India @ 62 looks back at the incidents that have shaped the country's existence and how it has served as an inspiration for films, television, advertising and radio.

Kunal Vijayakar breaks bread with brave men at National Defence Academy, Pune with The Foodie show. Heroes of Freedom will brings together Indian soldiers from the three Armed Forces to share and relive their memories of battle. In the special episode of Frankly Speaking, Arnab Goswani speaks to Marshal of the Air Force Sardar Arjan Singh.

NewsX will present two prime time shows - Midnight Nations and Freedom Actually, along with string of vignettes bringing out multiple facets tracing the history since the independence. The channel will also host a series of capsules in three different segments- Historic Milestones, Freedom and on Celebrity Bites.

Midnight Nations on August 14 at 9 pm brings together experts from India and Pakistan to discuss the coexistence of the two nations since their independence. Freedom Actually on August 15 at 9 pm will bring together some of the prominent guests to discuss the true sense of freedom.

Moving to the business genre, CNBC-TV18 will present a brand new series that will showcase the new breed of corporate leaders, who are carrying forward a family legacy and spearheading some of the powerful business houses in its show, called India Inc. - Generation Next.

The show, hosted by Shereen Bhan, will feature guests such as Ratul and Deepak Puri from Moser Baer; Roshini and Shiv Nadar from HCL; Indo Rama's Vishal and OP Lohia; Sanjay and GV Krishna Reddy from GVK, Ashni, Vivek and Kishore Biyani from Future Group and Bajaj Hindustan's Kushagra and Shishir Bajaj.

NDTV Profit has joined hands with Kingfisher for A Journey Like Never Before in a brand new no-holds barred chat with the youth icons of India at 8:30 pm. Also, watch Anurag Kashyap revealing his success story on August 15.

Big Business Battles on August 16 at 9:00 pm on NDTV Profit will discuss 18 years of liberalization. The panelist include N R Narayana Murthy, Malvinder Singh, Dr. Shubashish Gangopadhya, Dr Jayati Ghosh, Hari S Bhartia, Dr. Shankar Acharya and Suhel Seth.

Hindi News
As part of the Fourth Estate of the nation, Zee News will highlight various issues, government initiatives and how every citizen can contribute towards the growth and prosperity of the country through its India First campaign.

NDTV India will launch a documentary Kargil Ki Kahani - Air Force Ki Zubani on August 15 at 1:30 pm. It features the Indian Air Force and their role in Kargil, 10 years hence. This special series highlights the tale of lone survivors and families of Air Force martyrs, from Sirsawa, Bhatinda and Gwalior.

Jai Jawan at 9:30 pm on NDTV India will celebrate the day with actor Abhishek Bachchan in his journey to Kargil. The show reminds us of the Indian Army's grit and determination fighting the war in the extremely difficult terrain of Kargil, 10 years ago.

IBN7 has shows like the State of the Nation Poll, Vande Mataram, Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Humara, Independence Musical and India Rocks. The highlight of the channel is State of the Nation, which gets the pulse of the nation on the most pressing issues every Independence Day and Republic Day.

Vande Mataram will trace the journey of national anthem since the pre-independence era till now; Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Humara turns the pages of India's sports history to witness events which have held the nation's attention and made every Indian proud.

Independence Day Musical will be a musical tribute to the Independence Day by talented child artists from TV shows; while India Rocks is a musical tribute to India aired every Independence Day and Republic Day.

India TV, on the other hand, will be celebrating Independence Day with élan and a slew of programmes. First in line will be Asli India - Asli Hero, which will deal with real heroes who are contributing silently towards the development of India.

The channel also has Badal Raha Hai India, which features changing social trends in India. Another programme, Bharat Ke 10 Mantra, will feature 10 ideas which can change the destiny of India and Indians.