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Nick Bryant appointed BBC’s South Asia correspondent in Delhi
NEW DELHI: BBC’s Washington correspondent Nick Bryant who will be the organisations’ new South Asia correspondent arrived in the Capital.
Bryant has been at the heart of the BBC’s news coverage in Washington for the last four and half years. He has led the organisations’ reporting on all the major news events during that time including the 9/11 attacks, Bush’s “War on terrorism” and the US elections. He has also reported extensively from Washington on the Whitehouse’s emerging and changing relations with India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia.
Nick says about the assignment, “So much of my time in Washington was spent covering the reaction there to events in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, it’s great to get the chance to report from sharp end of those stories. It’s also hard to think of a region where so many of the big geopolitical stories right now have such resonance – from aids to the digital divide, from the war on terrorism to the environment.”
Bryant will take up his post next week. The BBC’s South Asia Bureau Editor Paul Danahar said, “Nick brings to the post the right mix of a regional and global perspective I wanted for this senior position. The BBC is now in 86 per cent of American homes where there is a growing interest in news from India so his presence here will also help us serve that new audience alongside our large existing audiences across South Asia.”
A student of history at the Cambridge University, Bryant did a doctorate on American politics from the Oxford University. A visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, Bryant is currently writing a book on the history of John F. Kennedy’s relationship with the civil rights movement for the Yale University Press.
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.
