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Popular Prakashan to bring serials to book
MUMBAI: Here is an announcement that seeks to marry television and reading. The 75-year-old Mumbai based publisher Popular Prakashan will bring content from broadcasters like Star onto the print medium.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Popular Prakashan CEO Harsha Bhatkal says, “We expect to release about 15 books in association with Star TV in 2003. They will be released across the country and not just in select markets. The first book Soul Curry for You and Me by Amitabh Bachchan has just been released. We have been working on this concept for almost two years now.”
“We also manage a database company, Vans Information, where we have done considerable work in content management and data slicing. It was this background that gave us the idea of adapting electronic content to books.”
About aligning with broadcasters, Bhatkal says,”We are talking to several channels apart from Star TV and have received an excellent response. But it is premature to say anything more at this stage.”
About content, Bhatkal says, “We are not looking at only children’s books but at other material as well. The main criterion we are using is the content’s adaptibility to book form and the possibility of having a long shelf life. This could also include horror, soaps, thrillers. Most of the content will be published in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali.”
“We are looking at the possibility of tie ups for other languages as well..All our agreements involve a revenue share with the copyright holder.” Viewers can expect content from the likes of Son Pari and Star Talk.
Bhatkal however says Popular Prakashan was not looking at adapting TV serials from foreign networks like The Soprano’s andThe West Wing.
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.
