FICCI’s longtime media and entertainment leader leaves behind a three-decade legacy that helped shape India’s modern M&E ecosystem, She was the force behind FICCI FRAMES, Ficci’s flagship Media & Entertainment Event.
NEW DELHI/ NATIONAL, MUMBAI, GPN/ SACHIN MURDESHWAR 📞 8108510506: Leena Jaisani, deputy secretary general at FICCI and one of the most influential yet understated figures in India’s media and entertainment policy landscape, passed away on Sunday evening following a cardiac arrest. She had been hospitalised for several days and was on ventilator support prior to her death.
Her passing marks the end of a career spanning more than 30 years at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), where she played a defining role in shaping policy advocacy, institutional frameworks and international collaborations for India’s rapidly evolving media and entertainment sector.
A Quiet Force Behind Industry Transformation
Though often away from the spotlight, Jaisani was widely seen as one of the principal architects behind India’s contemporary media and entertainment policy ecosystem.
Over three decades, she helped transform FICCI into a major policy and dialogue platform for the sector, steering high-impact initiatives that bridged government, business and global stakeholders.
Among her most notable contributions were:
Strengthening and expanding FICCI Frames into one of India’s premier media and entertainment conventions
Supporting efforts to secure industry status for Indian cinema
Helping establish the Film Facilitation Office, a critical step in easing film production and investment processes
Driving audio-visual co-production treaties with multiple nations
Building strategic ties with international platforms including MIPCOM and the Rome Film Festival
Her influence extended beyond media into intellectual property, retail, FMCG and digital commerce, reflecting the breadth of her policy engagement within FICCI.
Remembered for Professionalism and Purpose
Industry colleagues described Jaisani as a rare blend of strategic precision and personal warmth.
“She was a pillar of strength for the M&E industry. Her contribution is immense and long lasting,” one industry stakeholder said, remembering her as a deeply professional and solution-oriented leader.
L-R: Actor Kamal Haasan and Ms Leena Jaisani, Director and Head, FICCI entertainment division, at a press conference, in Chennai/ File Photo GPN
Others recalled her as a steady, dependable presence whose work consistently advanced industry interests with sincerity and quiet determination.Makkal Needhi Maiam President and Rajya Sabha MP Thiru. Kamal Haasan Kamal Haasan expresses deep sorrow over the passing of Leena Jaisani, Deputy Secretary General and Head of Media & Entertainment at FICCI, and offers his heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.
Championing Skills and Global Partnerships:
A Delhi University alumna, Jaisani also served on the board of the Media and Entertainment Skills Council, where she contributed to workforce development and industry skilling—an increasingly critical priority as India’s content economy expanded.
Her ability to translate complex regulatory and policy frameworks into actionable industry outcomes earned her broad respect across government bodies, studios, broadcasters and international partners.
A Lasting Void in a Defining Era:Jaisani’s death comes at a pivotal moment for India’s media and entertainment industry, which is navigating rapid digital growth, global expansion and increasing calls for regulatory clarity.For many across the sector, she was more than a policymaker—she was a stabilising force, an institutional memory and a trusted advocate.
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