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Aaj Tak most watched Hindi News channel in 2018
BENGALURU: The most watched Hindi news channel in the Hindi speaking market (HSM)–be it urban (U), rural (R) or combined (U+R) is India Today TV Network’s Aaj Tak during the first 37 weeks of 2018. The channel was present during all the first 37 weeks of 2018 according to Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) data for weeks 1 to 37 of 2018 (Saturday, 30 December 2017 to Friday, 14 September 2018) in all the three weekly lists for HSM (U+R), HSM (U) and HSM (R).
Overall, Aaj Tak topped BARC’s weekly lists for HSM (U+R) during the first 37 weeks of 2018 in terms of overall viewership. In HSM (U+R), Zee News was the second most watched Hindi news channel during the first 37 weeks of 2018, followed by India TV. Only three channels appeared in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U+R) during all the first 36 weeks of 2018. Aaj Tak was ranked first for 35 of the first 37 weeks of 2018, followed by Zee News and India TV which were ranked first for one week each in BARC’s weekly lists of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U+R).
In HSM (R), Aaj Tak was the only channel that was present in BARC’s weekly lists during all the first 37 weeks of 2018. The next closest channel in terms of presence in BARC’s HSM (R) lists was News Nation, which was present for 34 of the first 37 weeks of 2018. Zee News was next – it was present for 30 of the first 37 weeks of 2018 in BARC’s top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (R).
In terms of average viewership during the first 37 weeks of 2018, after Aaj Tak, ABP News was second – the channel was present in BARC’s HSM (R) lists for 27 of the first 36 weeks of 2018. Zee News was third in HSM (R) in terms of average viewership during the 29 of the first 36 weeks it was present in BARC’s HSM (R) lists.
Four channels were present in BARC’s weekly lists of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U) during all the first 37 weeks of 2018. Aaj Tak also topped the BARC weekly lists in HSM (U) followed by Zee News, India TV and ABP News in terms of overall viewership during the first 37 weeks of 2018. Aaj Tak was ranked first for 29 of the first 37 weeks of 2018, followed by Zee News which was ranked first for 6 of the first 36 weeks of 2018 and India TV which was ranked first for two of the first 37 weeks of 2018.
News 18 India just missed the bus by just 1 week. It was present for 36 of the first 37 weeks of 2018 in BARC’s weekly lists of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U). In terms of average weekly viewership, News 18 India would be ahead of ABP News. News 18 India had higher average weekly viewership during the 36 weeks that it was present in BARC’s weekly lists as compared to the average weekly viewership of ABP News during the 37 weeks that it was present in BARC’s weekly lists.
News Nation was present for 6 of the first 36 weeks of 2018 in BARC’s list of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U+R). Besides Aaj Tak,HSM rural audience’s showed a preference for News Nation in terms of its presence in the respective BARC weekly lists. However, the channel would be ranked sixth based on its average weekly impressions during the 34 of the first 37 weeks of 2018 that it was present in BARC’s lists in HSM (R), behind Aaj Tak, ABP News, Zee News, News 18 India and India TV respectively. In the case of urban HSM audiences, News Nation was present for only one week in the respective BARC’s lists during the first 37 weeks of 2018.
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.
