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Media Veteran Ferzad Palia has stepped down from his role at JioHotstar after an illustrious 20-year journey and announced his transition to the fast-growing edtech platform upGrad. Palia will now spearhead upGrad’s newly launched Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) business, marking a bold step into the on-demand, mass-market education space.
Confirming the development in a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Palia reflected on his two-decade-long journey with JioHotstar a period during which he played a pivotal role in launching new television networks, scaling digital platforms, and bringing world-class sports and entertainment to millions of Indian households. He credited the organisation for giving him the space to build freely and the trust to experiment — a trust that, he said, “made all the difference.”
“It’s been a privilege to witness and contribute to the evolution of Indian media from inside the ring, not just ringside,” Palia wrote. “To the mentors, teammates, and the organisation that shaped me — thank you. You were the wind beneath my wings.”
According to The Economic Times, upGrad’s decision to appoint Palia comes at a time when the platform is aggressively tapping into India’s surging base of digital learners. The edtech company, founded by Ronnie Screwvala, is now building its consumer-facing vertical with a focus on accessible, purposeful learning at scale — a mission Palia said felt both “deeply urgent and deeply personal.”
Speaking about his new role, Palia expressed enthusiasm about working closely with Ronnie Screwvala a long-time inspiration — and about contributing to upGrad’s next phase of growth in the skilling and learning domain. “After entertaining India for two decades, this next innings is about helping India level up with scale and purpose,” he wrote.
As upGrad strengthens its hold on the lifelong learning and skilling space, Palia’s appointment is expected to lend strategic depth and consumer insight to its D2C expansion. His move is being closely watched across the media and edtech sectors, as it marks the crossover of a seasoned entertainment professional into India’s learning revolution.
