News Headline
8-year run of NBC’s ‘Will & Grace’ to end in May
MUMBAI: NBC has confirmed the long expected end of the Will & Grace. The sitcom concludes its eight-year run on 18 May with a one-hour series finale. The finale will be preceded by a 60-minute retrospective.
In India the series is aired on Zee Cafe.
“It is a bittersweet moment for all of us at NBC to confirm that this will be the final season of the comedy Will & Grace,” said NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly . “For seven years the show assembled one of the finest comedic casts on television, bringing to life the hilarious, groundbreaking scripts from Max Mutchnick, David Kohan and their writing team to create what has truly become one of the classic comedies on television.”
Starring Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, “Will and Grace” continues to focus on the bizarre but abiding friendships between four Manhattan friends.
Post Will & Grace, McCormack and Sean Hayes will each devote themselves full-time to their budding independent production companies. Debra Messing will focus on movies, and Megan Mullally on her new daytime talk show.
Writer/creators Mutchnick and David Kohan and their veteran director, James Burrows, have already started a gradual transition to a new sitcom collaboration, Four Kings. But not before sending off Will & Grace in a style that will be long remembered.
The news comes as NBC unveils its mid-season schedule. The network also announced plans to join ABC and CBS in the telenovela genre with the launch of an English-language adaptation of El Cuerpo del Deseo (Body of Desire), a hit telenovela for sister Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo.
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.
