News Headline
Intelsat 906 launch successful
WASHINGTON: At 2:44 am EDT on Friday, the Intelsat 906 satellite was successfully launched aboard an Ariane 44L vehicle. The satellite is expected to be operational this October.
The Intelsat 906 launch is the sixth in a nine-satellite campaign to replace and to enhance system capacity by the end of 2003. The 906 satellite will be deployed at 64E and will offer capacity for telephony, corporate networks, Internet, video and hybrid space/terrestrial solutions to customers on its 72 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders (measured in 36 MHz equivalent units). The satellite will provide high power Ku-band spot beam coverage for Western Europe and part of Asia and additional C-band capacity to customers in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, an official release says.
The high power and coverage area of the Intelsat 906 satellite makes it ideal to support Ku-band video applications on the Indian subcontinent as well as all of Intelsat’s GlobalConnexsm solutions, including Internet trunking and IPL.
The Intelsat 906 satellite will replace the Intelsat 804, which currently holds the 64E orbital slot but will be moved to a new location at 176E to support additional customer demand in the Pacific. As an extension of this deployment, and pending regulatory approval, the 906 launch also allows Intelsat to place a satellite in a new role at 85E to serve China, India and other parts of Asia.
Intelsat’s next launch, the Intelsat 907 satellite, is scheduled to take place from French Guiana, aboard an Ariane 44L launch vehicle, during the first quarter of next year.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, PanAmSat Corp and Intelsat, the No. 2 and No. 3 global satellite operators, have quietly launched rival moves to acquire Eutelsat SA, Europe’s largest satellite-services company, industry officials have been quoted as telling The Wall Street Journal.
Intelsat has reportedly submitted a formal offer, described as a hostile bid totalling $3.5 billion to $4 billion. But a deal with either suitor would significantly accelerate the industry consolidation already underway and create an international powerhouse, with a combined fleet of at least 38 satellites and annual revenue of more than $1.5 billion. Its size and geographic reach would reshape the industry, which already is in turmoil due to excess capacity and falling stock prices.
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.
