News Headline
Private broadcasters lobby against sharing of cricket telecast rights with DD
NEW DELHI: In a bid to apprise policy-makers of the ground reality of sports broadcasting, some private broadcasters have submitted a representation to group of ministers (GoM), headed by the defence minister Pranab Mukherjee.
GoM is entrusted to study a proposed legislation relating to telecast of sporting events of national importance.
At the meeting, the private broadcasters stated that mandating sharing of terrestrial feed with pubcaster Doordarshan of all events involving India would upset business calculations and would not create a level-playing field for everybody.
As the proposed legislation stands, the dice would be loaded heavily in favour of Prasar Bharati, which manages DD and All India Radio, a private broadcaster said after the meeting with Mukherjee earlier this week.
In a note to the GoM, the information and broadcasting ministry has proposed, as part of a revised uplink and downlink policies, listed sports events in India or abroad in the national interest could not be telecast on an exclusive basis by any private broadcaster in India and the feed has to be shared with Prasar Bharati.
In its support, the ministry has also said that similar laws exist in countries like the UK, Australia. European Union too is contemplating a legislation on these lines, the ministry has said, quoting from representation made by Prasar Bharati.
First, the private broadcasters conveyed to Mukherjee — the GoM is likely to meet some time after the present session of Parliament gets adjourned this week — that there was no need to have such a law as most broadcasters would and could come to informal understanding with Prasar Bharati.
Second, and more importantly, Mukherjee was told that if at all such a law is mandated, then it should not be with retrospective effect (meaning, telecast rights obtained before the passage of the proposed law) and should exclude sporting events held outside India.
The industry-government interaction was facilitated by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), which, too, has come out against mandating such a law forcing sharing of feed with Prasar Bharati.
The meeting, held earlier this week in Delhi, was attended by ESPN India MD RC Venkateish, Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea, Ten Sports India head Sharmistha Rijhwani and Ficci secretary-general Amit Mitra, amongst others.
What’s more, Prasar Bharati wants that such shared telecast be also made available for its DTH platform for which subscribers don’t pay any monthly subscription fee.
If this was not enough, a section of the government, the ministry of youth affairs and sports, had suggested that “a portion of revenue accruals by the agency (read, mostly satellite sports broadcasters) that gets broadcasting/telecasting rights (of listed events) should be remitted to the national Sports Development Fund.”
Thankfully, the nodal ministry for media laws, I&B ministry, struck down this suggestion due to lack of statutory back up, though this observation has been included in the note prepared for the GoM.
The Supreme Court late last month poured cold water on pubcaster Doordarshan’s efforts to arm-twist the terrestrial feed from Ten Sports for the recently-concluded cricket tri-series in Sri Lanka.
The SC ruling deflated a till-then smug Prasar Bharati that had issued statements cautioning rights holder Ten Sports against “hoarding” terrestrial rights.
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.
