100 Years of Essel Group: From packaging business to media & infrastructure giant, and counting

The Essel Group -- one of the nation’s oldest business conglomerates with interests across media, entertainment, infrastructure, education and technology – turned 100 on Thursday, May 21, 2026, marking a major milestone in its corporate journey.

Founded in 1926, the group evolved from a traditional trading and packaging business into a diversified enterprise that helped reshape the country’s media and entertainment landscape. Over the decades, Essel Group expanded into television broadcasting, digital media, infrastructure development, education ventures and satellite communications. The Essel Group has created a long-lasting impression across the world, in every dimension it has touched.

Speaking at a special townhall to commemorate the occasion, Essel Group Chairman Dr Subhash Chandra said that the group's journey has been one of persistence, resilience, innovation and growth.

"Our belief that progress must create value for the society and Nation at large has guided the pioneering steps undertaken by the Group across every business dimension. Me and my brothers are extremely proud to mark this momentous milestone of 100 years that has been built by generations of vision and courage to venture into the unknown and truly leave an imprint of a century across every industry," said Dr Chandra.

"Essel Group’s journey has evolved alongside our Nation, and I am proud to note that together, we have unlocked economic value and enabled social transformation to drive national progress," he added.

From Haryana trading roots to building a business empire

Dr Chandra’s journey is often regarded as one of the country’s defining entrepreneurial success stories. Born in Adampur Mandi in Haryana, he began working in his family’s grain trading business at a young age, learning the fundamentals of negotiation, supply chains and business management early in life.

Long before the country’s start-up ecosystem emerged, he was identifying sectors with untapped potential and building businesses around them.

His first major breakthrough came in the packaging industry when he introduced laminated tubes to India through Essel Propack during the 1980s.

The company later emerged as one of the world’s leading laminated tube manufacturers.

The launch of Zee changed Indian television

The biggest turning point for Essel Group came in 1992, when India’s media sector was still dominated by state-run broadcaster Doordarshan.

At a time when private satellite television was considered a risky and expensive experiment, Dr Chandra secured a transponder on AsiaSat and launched Zee Entertainment Enterprises on October 2, 1992.

The launch of Zee TV transformed Indian television and opened the doors for private broadcasting in the country.

The network later expanded into movies, regional entertainment, music, news and digital platforms, becoming one of India’s largest media ecosystems.

Dr Chandra is widely regarded in the industry as one of the pioneers who helped build modern Indian television.

Expansion into news, digital and infrastructure

Essel Group later strengthened its presence in news broadcasting through Zee Media Corporation, which today operates multiple national and regional news channels along with digital publishing platforms.

The conglomerate also entered direct-to-home services, cable distribution, education, infrastructure and leisure businesses over the years.

Its ventures included education brands such as Kidzee and Mount Litera Zee School, alongside entertainment destinations like Essel World and Water Kingdom, which helped popularise organised family entertainment in urban India.

The group also explored infrastructure, urban development and renewable energy businesses during various phases of expansion.

Essel Group marks a century-long business legacy

Completing 100 years on May 21, the Essel Group has described its century-long journey as an “Impression of a Century” - a legacy built from humble beginnings in Adampur in 1926 to becoming a diversified global conglomerate.

Led initially by Jagannath Goenka and later expanded under the leadership of Dr Subhash Chandra and the Goel family, the group grew across sectors including media, entertainment, packaging, infrastructure, education, technology and lifestyle.

Operating in more than 190 countries, the conglomerate says its businesses have contributed to India’s economic growth, employment generation and global soft power over the past century.

Focus on digital growth and future-ready businesses

In recent years, the company has increasingly focused on digital expansion, scalable content platforms and regional storytelling.

The group has highlighted subscriber growth, higher digital consumption and investments in emerging content formats as key drivers for future growth. Company statements have also pointed to stronger focus on platform innovation, monetisation models and data-led decision-making.

A legacy of risk-taking and reinvention

Over the years, Dr Chandra has frequently spoken about entrepreneurship, resilience and learning from setbacks. His leadership philosophy has largely centred around identifying emerging sectors early and adapting to changing market conditions.

Even during challenging business phases, including the Essel Group debt crisis, he publicly acknowledged the issues and worked towards resolving lender concerns - a move many industry experts described as unusual in corporate India.

Beyond business, Dr Chandra has also promoted education, entrepreneurship and rural development through philanthropic initiatives and mentorship programmes.