News Headline
A ‘Different Ball Game’ for National Geographic
This month National Geographic plays a different ball game as well as broadens viewers horizons.
National Geographic Channel will introduce viewers to wild, outlandish sports through the adventures of British sports journalist Emma Levine. On the 17th of this month in the first episode of Different Ball Game at 10:00 p.m. she visits Turkey to see two sports which are rooted in ancient warfare.
The first is based on wrestling which has been the country’s national sport for over 600 years. It is called Turkish oil wrestling. Participants wearing handtooled, tight, black leather shorts soak themselves in oil, grab what they can of their opponent and wrestle. The second sport is called horseback javelin. Two teams riding on horses, chase each other and throw sharp javelins at one another.
The channel has also introduced a series of half-hour programs called Human Edge. The aim is to educate the viewer as to what new technologies are entering the market and how they improve the quality of our daily existence. We will see what innovations scientists, physicists, doctors are coming up with.
Tonight at 10:00 p.m. in the second episode you can watch how engineers are taking ideas from creatures that are unpleasant to look at to build robots who can do things which are too dangerous for human beings. Besides this rollercoaster enthusiasts are in for a treat. The man who built the Thrust Air 2000 will be interviewed. This space age thrill ride rockets passengers from standstill to eighty miles per hour in 1.8 seconds.
Don’t fret if you missed the first episode. On Sunday at 5:30 p.m. there will be a repeat. So tune in to see how Trevor Baylis used an old instrument a wind up radio into a weapon in the war against the AIDS virus in Africa. There will also be interviews with engineers at car company Volvo who are carving a path of their own. They will describe some of the latest high-tech, life-saving cars, which will roll out soon.
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.
