Mumbai : As India’s latest set of GDP figures are expected to show it is on track to be the world’s fastest growing major economy this year, the BBC is bringing tales of the country’s development to its global audiences. Drawing on the world renowned international broadcaster’s extensive news and programme making teams in India and the UK, BBC World Service, BBC World News and BBC.com/news will be delivering a wealth of content examining all aspects of India’s business, political and cultural life.

The season launches with ‘India Rising’ on Thursday, August 27th – a pan-BBC News day of content delivered by reporters based in India working with journalists from the Business and Economics unit. For BBC World News TV, Business Editor Kamal Ahmed reports live from Delhi looking at how Prime Minister Modi’s reforms have progressed and how UK companies are faring.  Yogita Limaye will be travelling the country visiting Indian firms hungry to expand abroad and World News Asia Business Correspondent Karishma Vaswani will live in Mumbai with a range of guests, with coverage for the international news channel’s shows Global, Impact and World Business Report. There will also be a round-up edition of India Business Report. Listeners on BBC World Service will hear from the correspondents as well as Indian economist and philosopher Amartya Sen, while Business Daily will explore the need for investment to help provide new opportunities for the millions living in poverty. There will also be content on BBC.com/news including animations, video and explainers to help audiences understand the data and what it means for India. Plus people can get involved using social media via #indiarising2015.

The focus on India will continue over the following months with content across BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV and online at bbc.com/news.

“With India’s economic performance under the spotlight, this is the perfect time to take an in-depth look at the country’s rapidly evolving business and financial landscape – from successes to areas of challenge – and focus on the people whose daily lives underpin the economy.  For our listeners in India and around the world, we’ll also be discussing India’s dynamic arts scene, its wonderful food culture, and the importance of education for the next generation of growth,” said Mary Hockaday, Controller of BBC World Service English.

Richard Porter, Editorial and Digital Director, BBC Global News Ltd added: “The BBC has a long history of broadcasting to and from India and we know our audiences here value what we do. Indeed bbc.com remains the number one international news site in India. Launching this season gives the BBC’s award winning international services the chance to showcase our commitment to this important market.”

World Service Season Content:

Business Matters – September 1 – 4th – Comes live from India with four special programmes exploring new opportunities in digital India, women’s employment, minority communities, and the impact of rapid growth on India’s agriculture. Presenter Anu Anand will be in Delhi while Rahul Tandon is set to broadcast from Kolkata. Throughout the four days, Business Matters will invite audiences in India to give their tips on which new businesses are reshaping India via the hashtag #indiarising2015.

The Food Chain – the World Service’s award-winning series which looks at the economics, science and culture of what we eat – will explore the connection between faith, politics and food in Indian society, with episodes set to air in late August and early September.  Presented by Anu Anand, the programme will also examine India’s supply chain and how the country is feeding its growing population and tackling the problem of food waste.

Newshour Extra on September 11th – presented by Owen Bennett-Jones – looks at the unprecedented demand for education across the developing world – including in India.  It’s seen as a vital path to success and a route out of poverty, but existing education systems are increasingly unable to cope with a rapidly growing global population.  Can employment be found for students once they enter the workplace?  The programme will ask if we need to change the way we educate our children.

The Arts Hour on September 19th – Nikki Bedi will present a special edition exploring how tolerant Indian culture is of new ideas.  With book bans and a tradition of cultural conservatism contrasting with today’s exploding music and arts scenes, Nikki will be joined by leading and emerging cultural figures to discuss the question in front of a local audience in Delhi.

Incarnations starting September 13th – Professor Sunil Khilnani from the King’s India Institute in London tells the life stories of great characters from Indian history.  Over three programmes he will take a breakneck journey from ancient India to the modern age through a wealth of cultures and traditions.

Global Beats in October (date TBC) – will capture the dynamism of India’s up-and-coming musical talent.

BBC World News Season Content

Global with Matthew Amroliwala – the peak time show for audiences in India will continue the business focus alongside its regular take on the country, with reports examining entrepreneurship and business leaders plus viewers can expect a wealth of coverage when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the UK in November.

Talking Business – October 30th – Corporate leaders, global investors, top creatives, cutting-edge entrepreneurs and leading intellectuals gather together weekly to discuss and analyse the issues and trends that most affect how business has to work in today’s world. Each week our business correspondents take their turn to host the programme in the business capital they know best. In this edition Yogita Limaye will be hosting from Mumbai talking to the key players in the Indian business world.

The World’s Busiest Railway (4-part Series) – September – Dan Snow, Anita Rani, Robert Llewellyn and John Sergeant are in India, exploring the world’s busiest railway. From their base at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai they reveal the science and systems behind this supersized transport operation.

The East India Company – Its Rise and Fall (4-part series) – August /September – Dan Snow travels through India in the footsteps of the company that laid the foundations of today’s global trading systems. Four years ago British merchants landed on the coast of India and founded a trading post to export goods to London. Over the next 200 years, their tiny business grew into a commercial titan. Using the letters and diaries of the men and women who were there, this documentary tells the story of the East India Company, which revolutionised the British lifestyle, sparked a new age of speculation and profit and by accident created one of the most powerful empires in history.

Source : Lokesh Shastri