News Headline
Cashless villages ‘Mumkin Hai’ with new channel & Rs 5-cr campaign
MUMBAI: The government has launched ‘DigiShala’, a Doordarshan free DTH channel, to promote cashless transactions in India — the first step in online payment education through the electronic media. The channel will be brought through GSAT15 (DD Direct DTH), 93.5 degree East, Receive frequency: 11590 Mhz.
The launch of the channel is part of the government’s ‘Digi Dhan Abhiyan’ under which www.cashlessindia.gov.in has been created to serve as a knowledge repository. The government plans to teach people how to safeguard their accounts from phishing and cyber crimes.
Minister of electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the television was one of the most effective and far-reaching mediums to create awareness. The ministry was rolling out a dedicated TV channel to inform citizens about digital payment ecosystem and its benefits he added.
DigiShala aims to impart information, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, on the online payment ecosystem, its benefits, tools, and processes. The channel, via its user-friendly content, will also encourage viewers to use online payments. The expected viewership of the channel is more over two crore across India. It will be available free (without subscription fee) and hence could be availed by the poor.
Prasad said that the channel would show programmes depicting demos of making digital payments using USSD, UPI, Aadhaar, e-wallets, cards, and various talk shows and panel discussions with experts, as well as information about products and services under the Digital India programme. Prasad said the goal was to help small traders and citizens to switch to digital payments.
NITI Aayog has meantime launched an integrated campaign across print, television, radio and social media promoting digital payments to turn India into a cashless economy. The commission has been tasked to create a simplified yet convincing communication. With a primary budget of Rs 5 crore, the campaign will run for a period of six months in 19 regional languages. The call-to-action advertising spots with a local tone highlight routine activities such as shopping, hiring an auto, bill payments or buying groceries in which consumers can use online payments.
On Facebook and Twitter, influencers such as Abhinav Bindra and Sakshi Malik are endorsing the digital payment campaign using #Digitalpayments and #IPayDigitally. The campaign has been created by The Moving Pixels Co and Thinkstr — Ahmedabad- and Gurgaon-based advertising agencies respectively.
The TVC ‘Mumkin Hai’ (It’s possible) features a mix of consumers across occupations, age groups and economic levels as the voice-over explains various digital options. The ad ends with the prime minister’s speech urging people to become a part of cashless India.
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.
