India Syndicate merges with Pepper Media; to create a video-first entity

India Syndicate, a Bangalore-based digital media solutions company, is merging with its sister concern Pepper Media to create a video-first digital agency. The merged entity will function under the Pepper Media brand. 

The merger will enable Pepper Media to offer a broad range of services from content and video solutions to brands and media services, including YouTube channel management, meta-data and sub-titling services for large media networks and OTT platforms. The combined entity will have a team size of over 120 with teams spread across Bangalore, Mumbai and Kochi. 

Indhu Radhakrishnan, who was heading India Syndicate, will take over the mantle as CEO of the merged entity. “Pepper Media is now a leading media services provider partnering with some of the largest television networks in the country including Sony, India Today, Zee, Network18 and India TV. With this merger, we bring all our services under one roof, which will streamline our operations and also help offer a wider array of content and branding solutions,” Radhakrishnan said. 

India Syndicate, which was set up in 2000 by the husband and wife duo- Radhakrishnan Ramachandran and Indhu Radhakrishnan, pioneered the concept of outsourced content and editorial management, managing some of the largest digital media networks like MSN and Yahoo in India. The company went on to partner with many media networks like Rediff, Sify and Times Internet, creating content solutions before molding itself as a digital agency working with marquee clients like Amazon, Microsoft, Wipro, and Infosys. 

The founding team created India’s first OTT platform, iStream.com, in 2011 after raising $5 million from marquee VC firm SAIF Partners. 

Radhakrishnan Ramachandran will now be CEO of Studio Mojo, a venture he floated recently, with the goal of building the country’s leading regional video network to tap into the booming OTT and digital video market. He will also continue to remain as the Director of Pepper Media.