News Headline
AIR hunts for new DG while DD’s Quraishi stays put
NEW DELHI: India’s pubcaster Doordarshan director-general S.Y. Quraishi may be staying put for the moment. His new posting orders have not come but the official hunt for a DG for DD’s sister organization, All India Radio, has been set in motion.
Prasar Bharati, the autonomous body that oversees the functioning of DD and AIR, is releasing an advertisement on Saturday in the government-run Employment News inviting candidatures for the post of DG of AIR.
In the second phase, the advertisement would also be released in leading national dailies next week.
Officers of central and state governments, autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings holding analogous post on regular basis or with three years regular service in the pay scale of Rs 18,400 – 22,400 or equivalent and having experience of at least five years of media management can make a grab for the post. There are other requirements as well.
What is heartening then is that AIR is also looking for people outside the government fold. People working in the private sector and/or self-employed professionals too can send in applications. Also, the age of applicants’ post for DG-AIR can not be over 55 years.
Meanwhile, if conditional access and Star News were not enough to give sleepless nights to India’s information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who, according to sources close to him, is “loving the shadow boxing”, the imminent ouster of Doordarshan’s DG Quraishi is becoming another thorny issue.
With Quraishi, loved by the media for his easy accessibility, refusing to give in easily, Prasad is trying his best to distance himself from the whole episode. Of his own volition, Prasad has told journalists that he wants to “keep away” from la’affaire Quraishi, though the official buzz is that Quraishi’s ouster is because of his inability to get along with the minister.
According to Prasar Bharati sources, Quraishi’s stand is that if the government wants him out, then it has to give him a new posting out of DD as he would not put in his papers on his own.
What has resulted in the moves to oust Quraishi? Several theories are doing the rounds, but a senior official of Prasar Bharati admitted, “It is the internal politics of the I&B ministry and the government that has made the DG a scapegoat.”
With Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma unwilling to shoulder additional duties of the DG Doordarshan, it may just happen that the post that had been filled with a regular appointment after a long time would once again be vacant.
However, the re-launch of DD News channel is certainly one of the factors that could have led to Quraishi’s ouster. According to the buzz in the ministry, the DG was slow to move on the debatable re-launch of DD News, a project that is increasingly becoming the government’s pet.
However, the finance ministry, which has approved an additional grant of Rs 1260 million, to Prasar Bharati, mostly to be spent on DD News’ re-launch later this year, is yet to disburse the amount.
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.
