As the Indian Television Academy (ITA) celebrates its landmark 25th anniversary, the industry pauses to acknowledge a quarter-century of dedication to nurturing, recognising, and elevating talent on the small screen. Founded in 2001 by Shashi Ranjan and Anu Ranjan, ITA was born out of a simple yet powerful idea: to give television its own identity — not as a shadow of cinema, but as a compelling and impactful medium in its own right.
Today, with the completion of 25 glorious years, the ITA stands tall as India’s biggest and most prestigious platform dedicated to television excellence. It has been instrumental in celebrating content creators, actors, technicians, and storytellers — many of whom became household names through their work on the small screen.
Reflecting on this incredible journey, Shashi Ranjan, Founder and Chairman of the ITA, shared his thoughts with heartfelt nostalgia: “It’s a great feeling. For any institution to complete 25 years is truly heartening. Summing up this journey in a few words is difficult — it has had all kinds of shades, experiences, and emotions… the good, the bad, and even the ugly. But what stands out is that these 25 years have not just been remarkable for us as ITA, but also for television in India — and now for OTT, the new and thriving chapter.”
Ranjan recalled how, in the early days, television was often viewed as cinema’s “younger cousin.” “Back in the Doordarshan era, television was more of a curiosity. People would watch shows like Chitrahaar and Krishi Darshan, and a new medium began entering people’s homes. We believed even then that this would grow into something big. Its canvas had immense potential.”
At a time when many doubted the relevance of TV actors compared to larger-than-life film stars, ITA chose to believe in the power of the small screen. “People would say that television actors will never be recognised next to big film stars. But we believed that the love TV actors received from audiences , even if people didn’t always know their real names was real and deserved recognition. That thought is what gave birth to ITA and the awards.”
Shashi Ranjan concludes with pride, “We’ve grown, the industry has grown, and ITA has had the privilege of growing along with it. Today, we are proud to say that we’ve made our mark as the biggest television platform in the country — and that is our strength.”
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