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Trai interconnect order expected today; must provide to stay
NEW DELHI: The private broadcasters’ worst fears are about to come true. The broadcast and cable regulator is likely to issue its final interconnect regulations order today. And on the vexed issue relating to making available content to all platforms on a mandatory basis, there will be no concessions to broadcasters opposing this move.
The must provide clause, as laid out in the draft interconnect regulation issued earlier, will stay as it, TRAI chairman Pradip Baijal, speaking this morning at a broadband seminar in the capital, has said.
The must-provide clause or making available channels on a non-discriminatory basis to all platforms has been vehemently opposed by most pay broadcasters like Sony Entertainment TV India, Discovery and Star India. There has even been talk of somebody moving court if Trai insists on the clause as being described in the draft circulated by the Authority. The broadcast industrys understanding is that such a clause leaves no scope for marketing exclusive content.
For example, Sony Entertainment TV India, in its representation made earlier on must-provide, had conveyed to Trai that it would, in effect, be tantamount to copyright infringement if creativity is regulated and denying traditional rights of broadcasters.
Likening its position to a content providers, Trai sources had told indiantelevision.com that Sony, in its response, has stated that the draft interconnect regulation does nothing to address the last mile problem and also refers to the lack of any regulation to effect the must carry clause. The argument being must-provide would decrease competition.
Why so? According to Sony, content is the main legal differentiator for this business and thats why it has not agreed to be carried by Dish TV, 20 per cent owned by Zee Telefilms, owing to the latters inability to give satisfactory answers to issues like piracy and other commercial concerns.
Sony has also quoted extensively from global norms like Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (the Berne Convention), treaties ratified by India, in support of its claims as to why must-provide should not be enforced.
Well, the regulator has heard out all the divergent viewpoints being expressed and has made its decision. Must provide will stay.
Await a detailed report that follows.
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.
