Mumbai: Leading television producer and Co-founder of SAB Group, Gautam Adhikari, passed away at his residence here today after a brief illness. He was 67 and survived by wife Ranjana and two children. He is considered as one of the pioneers of the Indian TV industry.
Gautam Adhikari and his brother Markand Adhikari founded Sri Adhikari Brothers (SAB) Group in 1985 as a small family owned partnership firm. It went on to become the first publicly-listed television production company in India when it was listed on the BSE in 1995.
The company initially produced serials in Marathi, but soon ventured into film distribution & production business. Today it emerged as a leading Media &Entertainment Group with interests in broadcast, films, content production and publishing. The group also established Comedy entertainment channel SAB TV, which was later acquired by Sony Pictures Network.
Gautam Adhikari, who was a diploma holder in commercial art, had directed several films and serials. His name was listed in the Limca Books of Records 1999 for “directing maximum episodes”.