News Broadcasting
Trai washes hands off DD-Ten Sports telecast tussle
MUMBAI: You can’t accuse Prasar Bharti CEO KS Sarma of not having tried. But by the looks of things Sarma looks to have run out of cards to play as far as getting terrestrial telecast rights for the upcoming Indo-Pak series is concerned.
Sarma’s last ditch attempt in appealing to the broadcast regulator to intervene has fallen flat after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today said it has no jurisdiction in the matter.
“I don’t think we have powers to do anything in this matter……there is no legal provision within the country to help us solve this issue,” the Press Trust of India quoted Trai chairman Pradip Baijal as saying in New Delhi.
In a letter to Trai dated 13 February, 2004, Prasar Bharati Corporation, while seeking the regulator’s intervention in the matter, had argued that a public broadcaster cannot be held to “ransom” by the telecast rights holder over commercial considerations.
“It is our firm view that the rights holders cannot hold us to ransom by not giving access to terrestrial rights merely on commercial considerations,” Sarma had stated in the letter — a copy of which is available with indiantelevision.com — to Trai chairman Pradip Baijal.
News Broadcasting
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.
