I met Dr Bhaskar Das at the Governing Council meetings of MICA. His stylishly long hair, colorful eyewear and his knowledge of media was the first thing that struck me. Apart from Santosh Desai, Madhukar Kamath (both erstwhile colleagues from my days at Mudra) and the Director Dr Shailendra Mehta (who lived in the same Railway Colony where I grew up), every other face was new to me. Bhaskar was the first one to reach out and we got chatting about the role of higher ed and the role of MICA in that space. He mentored the M&E and Sports area and was a member of the Leadership and Management Development program team of MICA.
He started as a management trainee in 1980 and progressed to President of Bennett Coleman (BCCL) – the media behemoth that publishes the Times of India, The Economic Times etc. He was a Board member of BCCL and its various subsidiary companies. He later became Group CEO at ZEE Media.
He wore his three PhDs very lightly. “It forces me to read about something in depth.” He lived the philosophy of being a lifelong learner.
When I learned about his battle with cancer, Bhaskar said, “I am racing against time to complete my PhD thesis.” Bhaskar was the forever student. His thesis on Gen Z was to be defended in October 2025.
Read his last post on LinkedIn that was four days before he passed. Read it here
Some insights from him
Tech as Second Nature: For Gen Z, technology isn’t just a toolโit’s an extension of themselves. Theyโve never known a world without smartphones or social media, so using tech is as natural as breathing. Gen Z is incredibly adept at using technology, which means they can quickly adapt to new tools and platforms. This makes them valuable in tech-driven industries. He wondered if their reliance on technology can lead to challenges in situations where tech is unavailable or unreliable, potentially impacting their problem-solving skills in offline scenarios.
Seamless Hybrid Lives: Unlike Millennials, who often separate their online and offline worlds, Gen Z lives in a seamless blend of both. Their phones are their lifelines, merging studies, relaxation, work, play, and even sleep into one continuous experience. The blending of online and offline worlds can lead to difficulties in maintaining work-life balance, as the lines between personal and professional time become increasingly blurred. The burnout from the lack of downtime is the price they pay.
Digital Detox and Cyber Fasting: Gen Z is more mindful about their tech use. Theyโre aware of the potential downsides of constant connectivity and actively practice digital detoxes and cyber fasting to maintain their mental well-being. Bhaskar believed that Gen Z is more selective about their online interactions, which can lead to reduced exposure to diverse perspectives.
We last met in Mumbai on Nov 10-2024. I wish I knew it would be our last meeting. Bhaskar passed away on 14 Jan 2024.
The Times of India wrote this tribute to him.
He was a guest on my podcast. I wanted to know how I should introduce him to the audience. Eventually we both agreed on describing him as a “Media Decoder” and not a Media Guru or Media Expert as I had suggested. Eventually Bhaskar dropped even the “decoder” bit from his name.
Rest in peace my friend
