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24 Ghanta to get HT’s Anirban Choudhary as editor
KOLKATA: Zee Entertainment Enterprises owned 24×7 Bengali news channel, 24 Ghanta, is all set to get on board veteran journalist and Hindustan Times deputy resident editor (RE) Anirban Choudhury, as editor.
“Bye bye Hindustan Times…. shall remain ever grateful to you…forever,” he wrote on a social networking site.
Choudhury, agreed to the development, but refused to reveal the date of his joining. “I would like to finish off all my assignments at HT before moving on to 24 Ghanta,” he said.
In his new role, he will be looking after the overall operations of the channel. “Bengal is not just about politics. We would like to tell a story of a common man,” he said about his plans for the channel.
“Zee has spent a huge amount on this channel, but still something was missing. The channel could not make its mark even after recruiting so many senior journalists. Hope Choudhury’s appointment works as a miracle,” said an official from the channel.
“There is an urgent need to revamp the whole structure and the schedule of the channel. With Anirban at the helm of affairs, we hope that the channel would get back to winning ways. He was responsible for creating a market for HT in the eastern region and hope he would do the same for 24 Ghanta,” said an industry expert.
24 Ghanta was launched in the year 2006 and it covers local, national as well as international news.
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.
