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35th National Games on a hunt for media monitoring agency
KOLKATA: The 35th National Games to be held in ‘God’s own country’ Kerala in January-February 2015, has three companies bidding for the media monitoring assignment.
According to sources, these three companies include Mumbai-based Esha Media Research, Delhi based IMM – Perfect Relations and Datamation Consultants. The technical bids were opened on 10 July at Thiruvananthapuram.
“The broad objective of appointing a media monitoring agency is to accurately measure the feedback onthe quantum and nature of media coverage before and after the games for a total 10-month period,” said a Kolkata based media expert.
National Games is the premier Multi Discipline Sporting Event held in the country once in every two years and this 35th edition has been allocated to Kerala by Indian Olympic Association. The National Games secretariat is the nodal agency formed by the Government of Kerala for organising the games.
The Games will be hosted for 15 days in 30 venues located across seven districts of the state.
The media monitoring agency will “ensure the success of the publicity and sponsorship campaign by using the feedback to carry out effective communication to all stake-holders,” reads the tender for the bid.
Through the media monitoring initiative, it also intends to bring about improvements in the marketing and sponsorship strategies for this edition of the National Games.
As per the criteria stipulated in the tender, the bidder must have an average annual turnover of at least Rs 50 lakh from media monitoring engagements during the previous three financial years.
The bidder should also have handled at least three assignments of similar nature, scope and complexity, during the past five years.
None of the expected bidders were available for comment.
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.
