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DoS renews seven-transponder contract with Thaicom
MUMBAI:Thailand’s Shin Satellite PLc announced yesterday that India’s Department of Space (DoS) has extended the existing transponder leasing contract for seven C-band transponders on the Thaicom-3 Satellite.
With this renewal, the total number of transponders leased by DOS remains the same at 10 transponders, a Shin Sat release says.
The DoS has been leasing these C-band transponders on Thaicom-3 Satellite since 1998 to facilitate many telecom infrastructure projects and broadcasting. This is the seventh time that Shin Satellite’s Leasing Contract for the seven transponders with DoS has been renewed. Throughout this period, DoS has expanded and endorsed many projects for the telecommunication infrastructure in the country. Despite the slowdown of the telecom industry around the world, there is still a demand for satellite bandwidth capacity in the Indian market that DoS has to fulfill.
Other than the DoS, Shin Satellite’s customers in India and the subcontinent include Star India, Star Vijay, RAJ TV, ETC Music, ETC Punjabi, TMG, SS Music, India Vision, Punjab Today, Sanskar, Tara, ATN Bangla (Bangladesh), and TVM (Maldives). The Thaicom platform has more than 20 Indian channels on it, the release says.
Besides these broadcasting customers, Shin Satellite is working with the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Information Technology (MIT), to provide Internet Backbone services to promote and support India’s very successful software industries.
Shin Satellite is also partnering with main Indian Internet gateway Videsh Sanghar Nigam Limited (VSNL) to jointly provide broadcasting and uplinking services to Indian satellite television channels via the Thaicom satellite. In addition to this, both STPI and VSNL will deploy the first generation of iPSTAR broadband satellite gateway and terminals to provide Internet and other telecom services.
Shin Sat is 51-per cent owned by Thailand’s largest telecom conglomerate, Shin Corp, founded by the family of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
India is Shin Sat’s largest foreign market.
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.
