By his own admission, Purnendu Bose is many things: a born optimist, a realist and a workaholic. These are the characteristics that must have helped him launch Hungama TV? a kids? channel.

It isn?t easy launching a made-in-India kids? television channel with about 70 per cent local programming. Especially at a time when the market is teeming with quality players, national and international. And Bose, chief operating officer of the channel, is well aware that Hungama TV can only be successful if it lives up to the expectation of millions of Indian kids. The challenge, he says, is not getting one big thing right but doing a thousand, small things correctly. Only this will make the project a sustainable, long-term success. ?In any complex enterprise, it?s essential to get each one of many disparate elements right,? he says.

Every top corporate executive has his mantra for success. And 40-year-old Bose has his own take on the subject. He believes that in the modern business world, the most important aspect of leadership is the ability to create an environment of respect, care and trust that lifts people up. ?The more people feel they can flourish under your leadership, the more they will push you to grow too. The secret of my success is that I?m good at managing relationships. I have absolute faith in my colleagues and find ways to grow the people who work with me,? says the Hungama boss.

There are different kinds of bosses. Some prefer to let their subordinates take care of themselves. Others are more hands-on. On his part, Bose loves being in the thick of things. ?I work until I drop, and I expect those by my side to do the same.?

Born in Durgapur, he earned a postgraduate diploma in marketing management from Sister Nivedita College, Calcutta. The degree was an invaluable tool kit that helped him succeed in his professional endeavour. ?During the course, I learnt to think analytically, accept and assess every possible option and act on the knowledge, decisively and aggressively,? says Bose.

His first job was in 1989. Bose was a sales officer in Macmillan, a multinational publishing house, and he surpassed the sales target by 178 per cent. He has continued to taste success. ?That?s because I work relentlessly: morning, noon and night,? he says. Bose has been involved in some of the toughest launches in the country. He was part of the fire extinguisher Ceasefire team. ?Selling nightmare,? he says. He was with Easycall, a paging company. And, he has worked for Radiocity and Star News before joining Hungama TV.

The long journey from a sales officer to a chief operating officer is never an easy one. For Bose, L..V.E is an important acronym where L stands for Leadership, for Opportunity, V for Values and E for Ethics.

He believes that extremely successful people are more strongly motivated by the desire to achieve, are committed to excel and possess an obsessive drive to win. ?I have had the passion to win since I was a child,? he says.

It was an exciting childhood for Bose. As a schoolboy, he brought home honours year after year. Not only in studies but even in extra-curricular activities. He was the school?s cricketer of the year and the best achiever. ?The bottomline is, I brought honour and pride to my parents, school, college. That?s the reward of winning,? he says. Bose thrives on challenges. That is what, he says, makes life interesting. The challenge of starting an indigenous kids? channel was formidable. One-third of the Indian population is under the age of 15 years.

With an estimated audience of over 47 million kids spread over 44 million cable and satellite homes and growing at a rapid pace, it was no easy task creating a complete package that would hold their attention.

The UTV plan to launch a channel for kids intrigued him. ?I saw it as a great opportunity of going up the value chain of media experience,? he says. Launched on September 26, Hungama is an infant and Bose feels he has a mission to accomplish. Says he: ?Kids born 20 years from now will know I was instrumental in creating something for them.? Bose knows he has a tough task. Says he: ?When it comes to kids, having a good product is not enough. You have to tap into every kid?s emotional needs. Indian kids today have very high expectations of entertainment.? That?s another challenge he will enjoy overcoming.