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ISRO to launch new satellites including Healthsat
BANGALORE: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be launching many satellites including Healthsat for tele-medicine. Also figuring in the list are OceanSat II, Radar Imaging Satellite, Megha Tropiques and EDUSAT.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of INTELEMEDINDIA 2005, ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair divulged ISRO’s plans to launch Healthsat within four years. The communications satellite will be launched exclusively for health care so patients and doctors in remote rural areas could consult specialists in cities.
Nair said the organisation may accept help from private corporations to fund the project probably by the second half of this year. ISRO is also thinking of helping neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Myanmmar on their telemedicine projects.
At present, the existing satellite transponders serve 100 tele-health stations, including district hospitals and specialty hospitals around the country, next year 500 such stations would be served and in 2007 Nair expects about 1000 hospitals in the telemedicine loop. Within the next three to four years one exclusive satellite for the purpose of telemedicine would be needed, since the present satellite would not have the capacity to cater to these enhanced needs.
While addressing a seminar in Mangalore, ISRO chairman Dr. V Jayaraman announced that OceanSat II would be commissioned by 2006 and the Radar Imaging Satellite (RIS) and Megha Tropiques would be launched by 2008. A deeper study of the oceans and seas was essential since oceans control the weather, around 2.5 billion people across the globe lived on coastal belts and a sixth of the animal protein was derived from fish species.
EDUSAT or the GSAT-3 is the first satellite of the Education Satellite System started live class transmissions yesterday for Karnataka State’s Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) across its 100 affiliated colleges in Karnataka. Earlier the transmissions, which commenced in September 2004, were being routed through INSAT-3B. About 50 colleges have been provided with interactive terminals for two way audio and two way video interactions through EDUSAT.
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.
