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Omega to run contests for forthcoming Bond flick
NEW DELHI: With little more than a fortnight to go before the premi?re of the 20th Bond movie Die Another Day in India, Omega has announced the start of its promotional activities with an online competition lasting till February 2003.
Internet surfers who participate in a quiz contest posted on the prestige watchmaker’s website, www.omegawatches.com, can win the ‘Seamaster Professional Chronometer’ watch worn by Pierce Brosnan in the new movie.
James Bond has worn the Seamaster, an elegant sports watch, in the previous three Bond movies namely GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough. The last film will be aired on Star Movies as a New Year’s Eve Special.The special gadgets added to the watch by Q branch often saved his life in crucial situations.
To win the watch worn by Pierce Brosnan during the filming of Die Another Day (albeit without the hidden extras), the Bond fans will need to know all the aspects of Bond from the past 40 years.They will need to answer all the questions in the first round correctly before they can move on to the second round. Those who successfully complete both rounds will be in with a chance of winning the Seamaster Professional Chronometer.
The second and third prizes in the competition are a luxury OMEGA weekend travel bag and an OMEGA briefcase. Runners-up will receive an OMEGA & 007 notepad and pen. The company will notify all the winners in writing.
An official release states that the Speedmaster watch is a perfect example of an elegant sports watch. Omega also claims that the watch is the perfect synthesis of form and function and the chronometer certificate awarded by the official Swiss chronometer testing institute (COSC) is the official proof of the supreme accuracy of James Bond’s timepiece.
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.
