KANWAR SANDHU IS TAKING PUNJABI TELEVISION TO NEW PEAKS IN NORTH AMERICA

Harjap Singh Aujla

Kanwar Sandhu is a bold, brilliant and hands on senior journalist of Northern India. His ancestors hailed from an agricultural family with army background from Lahore division of Central Punjab. His village “Bhakna” is situated on the Amritsar – Lahore section of the Grand Trunk Road. His command over Central Punjabi language is deeply rooted in the land of his ancestry. In lieu of their army service, his ancestors were allotted a piece of agricultural land in Sargodha district of West Punjab, from where they moved to Sri Ganganagar district (a part of erstwhile Bikaner State) in Rajasthan.

 Kanwar Sandhu had his schooling in Public School Nabha. He was trained, during his college days, basically in English language journalism, but the love of his mother tongue brings him again and again into the lap of Punjabi language. His illustrious career in journalism started with North Western India’s premier English language newspaper “The Tribune” published  from Chandigarh. During the days of militancy, he was lured by “India Today” news magazine of New Delhi to become its reporter on constantly developing story of insurgency in Punjab. Then he served for a few years in the “INDIAN EXPRESS”, as its resident editor in Chandigarh. When the “Hindustan Times” opened its publication for the Punjab region, he served the “Hindustan times” too as its resident editor.

 In 2010, he organized a multi-language TV channel known as “DAY & NIGHT NEWS” in Chandigarh. As its editor Kanwar Sandhu established his reputation as a genuine fearless journalist. The local cable distribution cartel in Punjab thwarted every move of “DAY & NIGHT NEWS” to be carried by the cable companies in Punjab. Unmindful of the hostile attitude of the cable cartel, Kanwar Sandhu started expanding in North America too. Under a mutually agreed arrangement, he offered the programming of “DAY & NIGHT NEWS” to “G-Punjab TV” based in Canada and the USA. In addition “Sangat TV” in the United Kingdom was also carrying feed of “DAY & NIGHT NEWS”. In 2013, a live prime time call in show named “HELLO NORTH AMERICA” in Punjabi language hosted by Kanwar Sandhu himself, for the North American viewers was started by “DAY & NIGHT NEWS”, it was relayed by “G-Punjab” in North America. The time of the show was 6:00am to 7:00am Indian Standard Time and 8:30pm to 9:30pm American Eastern Day Light Saving Time. This show became an instant success. The callers included not only those from North America, but from Europe, Australia and India too. It catapulted “G-Punjab” into the number one spot in prime time Dish Network viewings in America. Its popularity eventually became its undoing. For mysterious reasons, Kanwar Sandhu disappeared as the head of “DAY & NIGHT NEWS”. Within a few months, “The Tribune” offered him the position of the “executive editor”. The title was great on paper, but it was terribly short on corresponding authority. After spending a year and a quarter in “The Tribune”, Kanwar Sandhu, after writing a number of well well researched and well meaning leading articles for the newspaper, decided to quit.

 This ominous development sent the new “GLOBAL PUNJAB TV” management team consisting of Sunil Hali, Harbhajan Singh and Sumandeep Kaur into a huddle. They took a unanimous decision to rope in Kanwar Sandhu, once again to host a live show similar to “HELLO NORTH AMERICA”. Kanwar Sandhu agreed and the chosen new name was “HELLO GLOBAL PUNJAB”. The time slot was the same. In North America, it is carried by Dish Network, but worldwide it offered in simulcast by “GLOBAL PUNJAB” website. This special call-in show is conducted in the Chandigarh studios of “GLOBAL PUNJAB TV”, in most professional manner. In order to make the cost affordable in India, an American telephone line is made receivable in Chandigarh. This program is creating waves all over its viewership area and has jumped to number one spot in popularity.

  

 

 

 

 

 

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