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Pakistan expects Paksat-1 geostationary satellite to begin services early next year
MUMBAI: Pakistan is gaining use of a defective Boeing 601 satellite and plans to use it to provide commercial telecommunications services starting in early 2003, spacenews.com has reported.
Pakistan renamed the Palapa C1 satellite as Paksat-1, its first geostationary satellite, and hopes to begin commercial services by early next year. The satellite has already been moved to its new orbital slot at 38 East Longitude.
Palapa C1 was launched in 1996 for PT Satelit Palapa Indonesia and is now owned by Hughes Global Services, which seeks new users for satellites unable to fulfill their originally intended missions.
Hughes reportedly has a five-year $30-million contract with Pakistan to develop the potential of Paksat-1’s orbital slot. Paksat-1 has over 30 C-Band and Ku-Band transponders, and is expected to provide commercial services including Internet backbone services, remote Internet access, business communications, video, audio and data services and thin route telephony.
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Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
