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Asianet celebrates 11th b’day this Onam; lines up special shows
MUMBAI: Malayalam channel Asianet will celebrate its 11th anniversary with a 11-day long festivities starting tomorrow (20 August). The anniversary celebrations coincide with Kerala’s principal festival Onam.
Asianet and Asianet News have lined up an array of special programmes to celebrate the occasion apart from a ground event to be held on 26 August. The show will air on 30 August, the channel’s birthday.
Television premieres of blockbuster films, interviews with popular Malayalam film artists, cultural and musical programmes, tele skits, live programmes and more figure in Asianet’s programming schedule for these days. News features woven around Onam, Asianet news channel has also lined up variety programmes woven around the theme of Onam to celebrate the occasion.
Talking to Indiantelevision.com, Asianet COO Mohan Nair offers, “Asianet has successfully maintained its supremacy in the market for a period of 11 years and that itself is the specialty of this occasion.”
According to Nair, the growth of Asianet as a brand has been the biggest USP for the channel in Kerala. Nair points out that the channel has grown with the market and has been instrumental in expanding the duration of the prime time segment from two hours to five hours. He says Asianet has now consolidated its position in the Middle East also.
Reportedly, Asianet has recorded a turnover of 500 million for the 2003 – 2004 fiscal. The channel has its international reach in Sri Lanka, China, South East Asia, Middle East, UK, Europe, USA and the lower half of the former Soviet Union.
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.
