The direct-to-home television service of Zee TV will be operational in India in the second half of next month, Subhash Chandra, chairman, Zee Network has said.

"Zee Network is the first company to get the licence for DTH in India and it will be operational in the middle or by the end of September," Subhash Chandra told reporters in London on Friday night.

Describing DTH as a major venture, Chandra said it needed to be developed considerably.

Subhash Chandra also hosted a gala dinner at the Hilton Park Lane Hotel on Friday night attended by several leading dignitaries and advertisers. Well-known playback pop singer Usha Uthup regaled the audience with a mix of English and Hindi hit songs.

Prominent among them were Bollywood character actor Anupam Kher, G P Hinduja, president of the Hinduja Group, Lord Navnit Dholakia, president of the Liberal Democrats Party and Keith Vaz, Former Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office.