Mumbai: Media Research Users Council India (MRUCI) held its 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, September 22, 2025, announcing key leadership changes for the organisation.
Vikram Sakhuja, Partner and Director at Madison World, has been unanimously elected as MRUCI’s Chairman, while Dhruba Mukherjee, CEO of ABP Pvt. Ltd., will serve as Vice Chairman. Shashidhar Sinha will assume the role of Chairman of the IRS Technical Committee. The appointments were confirmed at MRUCI’s Board meeting held shortly after the AGM.
Sakhuja takes over from Shailesh Gupta, Wholetime Director, Jagran Prakashan Ltd., who led MRUCI as Chairman for two consecutive terms (2023–2024 and 2024–2025).
While handing over the mantle, Gupta stated, “The Board’s approval of the pilot marks a significant milestone for the Indian Readership Survey. By beginning with a metro and two states, we are ensuring financial prudence while building operational confidence. The learnings from this phase will guide the nationwide rollout, delivering a robust and credible readership measurement system that the print industry deserves. I sincerely thank our Board Members and stakeholders for their support and extend my best wishes to Mr. Vikram Sakhuja and the new Board.”
Expressing his gratitude, Sakhuja said, “I thank Mr. Shailesh Gupta for his leadership and guidance. I am deeply honoured to take on the role of Chairman at MRUCI and thank the Board for placing their confidence in me. Our endeavour is to restore IRS as the gold standard in readership research and the most credible survey in the country.”
The AGM also welcomed three new members to the Board of Governors:
- Navaneeth LV, CEO, THG Publishing Pvt. Ltd.
- Surinder Chawla, President, Response, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.
- Shashidhar Sinha, Executive Chairman, Mediabrands – India
- Upali Nag, President Strategy – South Asia, WPP Media
Vikram Sakhuja is a distinguished member of India’s marketing and media fraternity, with a 38-year career that includes roles as Global CEO of Maxus WW, CEO of GroupM South Asia, and CEO of Mindshare South Asia. He has also held senior positions at P&G, Coca-Cola, and Star TV. Mr. Sakhuja has served on boards and committees including ASCI, ABC, RSCI, BARC, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and AAAI committees, and is the current Chairman of the BARC Technical Committee. An IIT Delhi engineer and IIM Calcutta alumnus, he is married to Simmi and has two daughters, Tara and Diya.
Dhruba Mukherjee, CEO of ABP Pvt. Ltd., joined the company in 1997 as a management trainee and has over two decades of experience in brand management, audience development, advertising sales, and production. A Calcutta native, he holds a B.Com (Hons) from St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, an MBA from IISW&BM under Calcutta University, and is an alumnus of the London School of Economics & Political Science. He has also completed the Senior Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. Beyond work, he enjoys travel, food, and sports.
