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BARC India’s watermarked channels crosses 400 mark
MUMBAI: Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India has achieved another significant milestone within the very first year of its operations: the subscriber base of TV channels, which have signed up for its Watermarking Technology, has crossed the 400 mark.
The number now stands at 429 to be precise. If one takes into account the various language feeds of channels, that number actually climbs to 457, as BARC India is watermarking 28 language feeds separately.
BARC India started rolling out viewership data in end-April with 277 channels signing up for its Watermarking Technology: and in the short span of last eight months, it has witnessed a rapid acceleration of broadcasters adopting the technology, which is the starting point for BARC India’s future-proof audience measurement system.
The technology has been adopted by not just broadcasters with an all-India market, but also by regional broadcasters across the spectrum. Of the 429 channels that have adopted the watermarking technology, 195 are ‘All India’ channels and HSM (Hindi Speaking Market) channels.
A hundred and thirty one channels are from the South comprising markets of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry (42), Andhra Pradesh & Telangana (39), Karnataka (27) and Kerala (23).
Of the other key TV markets in India, 18 channels are of West Bengal and 17 of Maharashtra & Goa.
BARC India contracted Kantar Media’s team (previously part of Civolution) to supply the watermarking technology that underpins the world’s largest audience measurement system.
“We are happy to have partnered with BARC India to deploy our watermarking technology. With so many new ways of distributing and consuming TV and video content, Kantar Media’s solutions enable BARC India to detect content wherever and whenever it’s consumed,” said Kantar Media Watermarking Solutions global director Jean Michel Masson.
“We have been able to cross the 400 channel mark in a short span since our launch. This is an achievement and the team at BARC India has done a great job to achieve this target. I am thankful to Civolution and Cineom for their support and technology,” added BARC India CEO Partho Dasgupta.
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.
