News Headline
35 million DTH subscribers inactive, 7 private channels not operational till March 2015: TRAI
NEW DELHI: Almost 34.90 million subscribers of direct-to-home (DTH) operators in India were inactive as against the total registered subscriber base of 76.05 million until the quarter ending March this year.
Citing the number of subscribers across platforms such as DTH, television, multi-system operators (MSOs), internet, broadband, radio etc, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in its latest quarterly report revealed the following:
DTH
The number of active subscribers of the six private DTH operators namely Tata Sky, Dish TV, Videocon d2h, Airtel Digital, Sun TV and Reliance Digital TV stands at 41.15 million.
TELEVISION CHANNELS
Seven television channels are still not active, if one goes by TRAI’s quarterly report, according to which the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry had said that it had cleared 829 private television channels by 31 March, 2015. It may be recalled that Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore had yesterday told the Parliament that a total of 822 channels had been cleared.
Of these channels, there were a total of 245 pay channels as reported by the broadcasters as on 31 January, 2015.
However, six new pay channels namely &TV, &TV HD, Star Sports HD 3, Star Sports HD 4, Asianet Movie and Suvarna Plus – were launched, which took the number of pay channels up to 251 by the end of March.
In areas served by non-addressable systems, the maximum number of TV channels carried in digital form as reported by multi-system operator (MSO) Hathway Cable & Datacom amongst those who have reported, is 393. On the other hand, the maximum number of TV channels carried in analog form, as reported by Ortel Communications amongst those who have reported is 100.
MSOs
There are a total of 155 MSOs, who have been granted Permanent Registration (for 10 years) by the I&B Ministry for providing Cable TV services through Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) by March.
RADIO
Apart from the radio stations operated by All India Radio, there were 243 operational private FM Radio stations as on 31 March, 2015. Meanwhile, as against the 208 community radio licenses issued, a total of 180 community radio stations were operational by March this year.
INTERNET & BROADBAND
The total number of Internet subscribers increased from 267.39 million at the end of December last year to 302.35 million at the end of March, 2015, registering a quarterly growth rate of 13.08 per cent.
Out of 302.35 million, Wired Internet subscribers stood at 19.07 million, whereas there were 283.29 million Wireless Internet subscribers.
The number of Broadband Internet subscribers increased from 85.74 million at the end of December 2014 to 99.20 million at the end of March 2015, showing quarterly growth rate of 15.71 per cent.
NARROWBAND
The number of Narrowband Internet subscribers increased from 181.65 million at the end of December last year to 203.15 million at the end of March this year, with quarterly growth rate of 11.83 per cent.
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.
