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AIR targets Rs. 1.26 bn revenue for financial year
NEW DELHI: Indian radio pubcaster, All India Radio (AIR), mopped a record net revenue of Rs. 113.26 crore in the year 2002-03 and has kept a target of Rs. 126 crore (Rs. 1.26 billion) for the current financial year.
In order to achieve the target, AIR is making an all-out effort by contacting various government ministries/departments and big private clients. A number of media plans have also been submitted to various departments, which are in the pipeline, information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today informed the parliamentarians who are members of the Consultative Committee attached to the ministry.
According to Prasad, AIR would completely digitalise the archives by the year-end. The archives are rich with the priceless and rare recordings of maestros like Fyaz Khan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, legendary poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Josh Malihabadi, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni and many others. It also has voice recordings of leaders of the freedom movement beginning from Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru and others.
The minister said that news is a major unique selling proposition (USP) of AIR, which disseminates news and comments to listeners in India and abroad. From just six stations in 1947, AIR has grown to a network having more than 200 broadcasting centres. News Services Division puts out 360 (except non-daily news bulletins) news bulletins daily from Delhi and its 45 Regional News Units.
Out of these, 84 news bulletins are broadcast on the home services from Delhi, while Regional News Units put out 218 news bulletins daily in 66 languages/dialects, including bulletins broadcast on FM-I and FM-II. In the External Services, AIR broadcasts 65 news bulletins in 26 languages, including Indian and foreign.
Prasad accepted suggestions from the members that included special programmes for dacoit infested areas of Mainpuri and Bhind in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, respectively; inclusion of regional newspapers while compiling major news stories covered; steps against music piracy; effective measures to counter propaganda from across the border; more rural oriented programmes; consideration of revision of remuneration of artist/writers; more programmes to check crimes and drug use; resumption of concerts for invited audiences and exclusive channels for classical music.
Other suggestions included filling up of vacancies in regional stations, especially in the North East and Jammu &Kashmir, setting up of radio clubs and concerted efforts to increase AIR revenue. The Members of Parliament who were present during the meeting included Balram Singh Yadav, Hannan Mollah, E. M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, Abdul Rashid Shaheen, Balkavi Bairagi, Vijay J. Darda, Ajay Maroo, Lalhmingliana, Dr. Ramanaidu Daggubati and Shabana Azmi.
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.
