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Media veteran Vijay Subramaniam launches 29SeptemberWorks
Mumbai: Media veteran Vijay Subramaniam has launched an independent venture to develop, curate, finance, and produce multi-platform content for the Indian market with his new venture, 29SeptemberWorks. The initial focus of the company will be on the Southern India region.
Headquartered in Bangalore with a presence in Chennai and Kochi, the company is already underway with its first slate that features films in Malayalam and Tamil and series in Tamil and Kannada. Subramaniam is partnering with leading production houses and multiple project-specific announcements are expected soon, according to the statement.
Subramaniam was previously with video streaming service Amazon Prime Video India as head of content. During his career, he has held leadership roles across Star Network, MTV Networks, and Disney India.
“29SeptemberWorks will be a platform-agnostic creator-enabler with a focus on working with fresh and established creators and producers to enable them to develop and showcase their work to a pan-Indian market,” said the statement.
“Indian content is at its tipping point moment,” said 29SeptemberWorks founder and managing director Vijay Subramaniam. “On one side is a massive and entertainment-hungry population and on the other side is some of the finest content creating minds that the world has seen. 29SeptemberWorks is slated to be a new-age entertainment company that will leverage the best of these two worlds to empower and enable storytellers, especially from the South of India, both in front and behind the camera, to take their craft pan-India and to the world.”
“I hope to leverage my experience in building partnerships with progressive minds and entities and coupled with my personal understanding of the diverse Indian market, the ambition is to build a strong, sustainable bridge between creators and customers and in doing so, expand the canvas of our stories in every respect, creatively and commercially,” he added.
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.
