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Star Jalsha strengthens non-fiction offering with 3 new shows
MUMBAI: Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC) from the Star India stable, Star Jalsha is increasing its original content offering in the non-fiction space. The channel will soon be launching an array of non-fiction shows catering to its Sunday audience. The shows are: Ebar Jalsha Rannaghore, Amra Na Ora and another as yet untitled show.
Ebar Jalsha Rannaghore is a 60 minutes format for the festive season. It will showcase recipes and fashion trends, where designers and stylists will give makeovers to actors starring in Jalsha shows as well as comprise unplugged solo performances by top singers of Bengal. There will be special episodes with celebrities from tinsel town providing entertainment to viewers.
Star Jalsha’s Amra Na Ora is a game show based on UK’s Push the Button. The show will be produced by FremantleMedia. The channel will also launch another big ticket non-fiction show, this quarter, the name for which is yet to be decided.
The three new shows are in addition to the non-fiction programmes launched by the channel in May, this year. The three shows were: Ebar Jalsha Rannaghare, a cookery show; Bhyabachaka, a celebrity game show and I Laugh U 3, a laughter and entertainment programme.
A Star India spokesperson said, “It has been our constant endeavour to provide wholesome and differentiated entertainment for the entire family. We were always dominating the fiction space and now with the new non-fiction shows we have just made our offering even more varied and entertaining. The results are encouraging to say the least.”
“The successful non-fiction shows along with the extended fiction have made Jalsha a new destination for viewers on Sundays. Our recent success in non-fiction has made us even more committed to it and we have decided to come up with an array of new non-fictions that I am sure will go on to create new benchmarks in BGE,” the spokesperson added.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
