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Zee Sports off-air in Mumbai’s major cable networks, signs truce with SCV
MUMBAI: Cricket fans in many pockets of Maharashtra and Tamil Naidu will not be able to watch India play West Indies in the DLF Tri-Series on Thursday. Zee Sports is yet to restore signals to the cable operators who have not signed agreements with the sports channel.
Zee Sports, however, is back on SCV, the dominant multi-system operator (MSO) in Tamil Naidu. Though the MSO had approached TDSAT, the matter got sorted out after today’s hearing. Zee Sports and SCV reached a commercial agreement today.
Says Zee Sports VP marketing Gaurav Seth, “We have closed the deal with SCV. We had switched off signals to many cable networks in Tamil Naidu and Maharashtra with whom we had no commercial agreements. We are in negotiations with them and hope to arrive at a settlement soon.”
In Mumbai, the channel has been off-air on two major networks Hathway Cable & Datacom and Incablenet. Even in Pune, a major chunk of viewers will be deprived of watching the live telecast of the India-West Indies match as the sports channel is not available on Intermedia Cable Communication, a leading MSO in the city.
Meanwhile, the Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, which heard the injunction filed separately by two individuals, today directed Zee Sports to restore the signals till further hearings on 21 September.
“The court order will be respected and the signals will be restored (or may have been restored as it does not take too long). But we will challenge this order in a higher court,” says Seth.
Zee Sports has priced the channel at Rs 10 per subscriber.
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.
