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Apex Court yet to decide on matter of inducting DD correspondents in Indian Broadcasting Service
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is still to decide on an appeal by the Government against orders of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh High Court that television news correspondents and assistant news correspondents in Doordarshan should be considered to be inducted into the Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service.
The orders of November 2000 and March 2014 of CAT and the High Court respectively also said these staff should be provided with all benefits of service and be considered for promotion to JAG in accordance with their experience, eligibility and suitability. The High Court had stayed the matter with regard to taking the news correspondents into the IB(P)S.
Minister of state for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told the Rajya Sabha today that TV NCs /TV ANCS were engaged as Artists on Casual contract basis for a period of six months in 1988. In March 1989 it was decided to engage them as “Artists” on a fresh contract of five years. In May 1993 they were declared as regular temporary Government Servants with retrospective effect from 1988.
In the absence of Recruitment Rules for this cadre, they could not be granted promotion. However, eligible officers were given Assured Career Progression/Modified Assured Career Progression.
Two posts of Special News Correspondent and one post of Principal Correspondent were created on 27 August 2010 to open the promotional avenues in the cadre in pursuance of the order of the Principal Bench of CAT in Delhi. No appeal was filed by the Centre.
The Recruitment Rules for these employees have been notified on 24 March 2014 which provide for promotion to the higher grades.
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.
