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DD mulls doing its own event marketing
NEW DELHI: Flushed with the success of marketing the upcoming West Indies cricket tour of India for over Rs 500 million on its own, national broadcaster Doordarshan is contemplating doing marketing of events on its own a regular feature in the future.
“The West Indies cricket telecast marketing has shown us that we can do our own marketing and that too successfully. In future we are thinking of making this a regular feature and not rely on outside agencies for marketing events on DD,” a senior official of Prasar Bharati, which oversees the activities of DD and All India Radio, told indiantelevision.com. The Publicis ‘difference’ is made up of numerous global strengths:
However, the marketing of cricket telecast on DD for the next World Cup in South Africa will be done by Nimbus Communication as per an earlier understanding between Nimbus and DD, the official pointed out.
National broadcaster Doordarshan recently had announced that it has mopped up Rs 510 million in booking and marketing of airtime for the upcoming India-West Indies domestic cricket series in October 2002. The series includes seven One-Day Internationals and 3 Test matches.
It had also booked three main sponsors for the series for Rs 40 million each – TVS, Coca Cola and Hindustan Lever. The five associate sponsors for the series are Kelvinator, LG Electronics, Asian Paints, Cadburys and HPCL. According to Doordarshan, the associate sponsorship have been sold to the companies for Rs 25 million each.
DD is also in the process of expanding its commercial activities by setting up marketing offices in newer cities and strengthening its existing ones in places like Delhi and Mumbai.
Still, before DD takes this step of continuing to market on its own of events to be telecast on various channels of DD, a formal okay will have to be taken from the board after discussions, the Prasar Bharati official said.
It may be worth mentioning here that various committees which had been set up to look into restructuring and functioning of Prasar Bharati, including the Narayan Murthy panel, had at least one common thread: that DD should undertake its own marketing and also retain all rights over content aired on DD channels which will help build up its library.
Despite such recommendations, DD, more often than not, has relied on outside agencies to market high-profile events, specially sporting events which, critics have pointed out, have invariably resulted in substantial loss of revenue for DD.
But the Prasar Bharati official was mum on the fact whether marketing whiz Vijay Jindal, recently appointed chairman of a marketing committee for DD, has had any role to play in the changed thinking in Mandi House, the headquarters of the pubcaster in Delhi.
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.
