New Delhi: Renowned journalist and former NDTV Executive Editor Ravish Kumar achieved a milestone on Monday as his YouTube channel crossed 10 million subscribers.

This achievement comes approximately 17 months after Kumar  began sharing his insights and commentary on various issues through his YouTube platform following his departure from NDTV, which he announced via a video post on December 1, 2022, He had launched his channel in October 2022, which largely remained inactive till December 2022.

Known for his insightful analysis and independent viewpoint, Kumar's YouTube channel has garnered widespread popularity, consistently attracting millions of views for his videos. Having spent 27 years at NDTV, where he served as Senior Executive Editor and hosted several flagship programs, Kumar's transition to digital media reflects the evolving landscape of journalism.

His decision to resign from NDTV and embrace digital media was influenced by challenges, including his mother's illness in Bihar, as well as the broader context of threats and pressures faced by journalists in India. Kumar had received death threats on his personal phone from supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amidst NDTV's encounter with a potential takeover by the Adani Group, known for its close ties with the government.

In his resignation address, delivered on his YouTube channel, Kumar expressed gratitude to his audience for their unwavering support over the years. He also voiced concerns about authoritarian forces dividing the nation and lamented the state of journalism in India, characterizing it as a "dark age of journalism."

Kumar's departure from mainstream media to pursue an independent digital presence mirrored a growing trend among Indian journalists. Many have opted to utilize platforms like YouTube and social media to navigate the challenges faced by traditional media organizations in the current political climate.

Through his YouTube channel, Ravish Kumar continues to engage with his audience, offering his perspective on pressing issues and contributing to the discourse on journalism in India.

https://www.youtube.com/@ravishkumar.official

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Mumbai, Mar 16 (PTI): The BJP on Sunday announced the names of three candidates, including a close aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a former MLA, for the March 27 by-elections to five seats in the state legislative council.

The by-elections have been necessitated due to the victory of the five sitting MLCs in the November 2024 assembly polls.

Three of the MLCs who entered the assembly were from the BJP, followed by one each of the Shiv Sena and the NCP. All three parties are constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the state.

The BJP on Sunday announced the names of Sandip Diwakarrao Joshi, former mayor of Nagpur and a close aide of Fadnavis, Sanjay Kishanrao Kenekar, general secretary of the state BJP unit, and former MLA Dadarao Yadavrao Keche, for the council bypolls.

Keche won the 2009 and 2019 assembly elections from Arvi constituency in Wardha district of the Vidarbha region. He was denied ticket for the 2024 polls as the BJP then fielded Fadnavis' former personal secretary Sumit Wankhede from the Arvi seat.

The last day for filing nominations by candidates is March 17.

The byelections of the MLCs are from the MLA quota in the 288-member legislative assembly.

The BJP has 132 MLAs, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41, making them comfortably placed to win all the five seats, given their dominating presence in the lower house.

The last date of scrutiny of nominations is March 18, while candidates can withdraw from the contest on March 20. If needed, voting will take place on March 27 with the MLAs forming the electoral college.