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Aakash Aath to celebrate ‘Poush Utsav’ starting 11 January
KOLKATA: As West Bengal gears up for ‘Poush Mela’ , an annual fair and festival that takes place in Santiniketan, to mark the arrival of harvest season, Aakash Aath, a Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC), plans to celebrate ‘Poush Utsav’.
The week long festivities will commence from 11 January with 2-hours live show ‘Good Morning Aakash’, which is aired from 7 am to 9 am.
“We always look at introducing new elements to make the shows more interesting and enthralling for viewers,” said Aakash Aath director Eshita Surana.
On 11 January, the channel will air ‘Mul Gaan Bhanga Gaan’ (Twisted Original Songs) by Ridhi Banerjee and on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda’s birthday i.e. 12 January, it is looking at airing a special show.
The channel has planned to get famous artists for special programming slot. “It’s a show which has a live artist or artists singing songs with a lot of interaction with an anchor,” she added.
Other artists like Probhati Mukhopadhyay, Saikat Mitra and folk singer Swapan Basu have also been approached to sing through the week, it is learnt.
The channel had earlier organised ‘Band Festival’ for four days from 25 December which saw bands like ‘Udaan’, ‘Cactus’, ‘Sahajiya’ and ‘Taseer’ performing for the viewers.
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.
