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After Mumbai, Delhi may also see DD Sports off Hathway
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: The Hathway-Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) face-off seems to be spreading. According to indications, if negotiations do not work out between the two parties, DD Sports, along with FTV, Hallmark and Ten Sports, are likely to go off air on Hathway cable networks in the Capital by Thursday, a day when the second cricket Test match between Indian and West Indies begins and for which DD has exclusive telecast rights.
DD Sports is not available in parts of Pune as well. The Pune Associated Cable (PAC) network has been quoted as saying that it will continue to block the channel as the network could not afford to pay the revised rates.
According to sources in Hathway, meanwhile, MEN representatives held a couple of rounds of talks with the former on increasing the number of subscribers of each of the channels that MEN distributes. “All of them have ended in a stalemate till date and if things don’t work out we are sure MEN will switch off the decoders,” a senior executive of Hathway in Delhi told indiantelevision.com.
MEN, a KK Modi group company, looks after the distribution of DD Sports, Hallmark, FTV and Ten Sports. Rajan Kaaicker, CEO distribution group, MEN, was however, noncommittal when asked about whether MEN would switch off Hathway in Delhi like it did in Mumbai.
According to the Hathway sources, MEN is demanding that for each of the four channels that it distributes, Hathway should declare about 160,000 subscriber base. This means that Hathway, the multi-system operator, would have to shell out more money for each of the four channels, including DD Sports.
At the moment, cable operators get these four channels for about Rs 24 per subscriber per month.
What is interesting is that this face-off between MEN and the MSO has come at a time when the cricket fever is high, especially after India’s stupendous performance in Mumbai during the first Test.
It is also interesting that this is not one of the one-off face-offs. Hathway and Sony Entertainment TV India, in the recent past, in Delhi had run into each other over payments and increasing the subscriber base. The cable subscribers had to do without SET Max during the initial days of the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy.
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.
