News Headline
BARC ratings: DD Sports in top 5 after 37 weeks
MUMBAI: Pubcaster DD Sports surprisingly garnered third position in broadcast audience research council’s (BARC) all India ratings for week 50 in the sports genre. The live feed of India versus Sri Lanka’s second ODI match helped the channel to climb up.
Star Sports 1 Hindi leads the chart with 20855 impressions (000s) sum followed by Star Sports 1 with 110690 impressions (000s) sum. DD Sports made an entry after 37 weeks in BARC all India ratings with 81011 impressions (000s) sum. Sony Ten 1 is in fourth position with 80695 impressions (000s) sum. We have second FTA channel in the list, Star Sports First with 57528 impressions (000s) sum.
DD Sports’ last appearance was in week 12 at the time of India versus Australia live test series. At that time DD Sports was at fifth slot with 26973 impressions (000s) sum. Private broadcasters are up in arms against sharing their live feed with the public broadcaster.
The Supreme Court on 22 August 2017 said that shared feed of sporting events can only be carried on the terrestrial network of Doordarshan or DD FreeDish and cannot be retransmitted to private cable and DTH operators. After this, in the month of September Prasar Bharti CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati through a tweet directed all the private DTH and cable operators not to telecast the sporting events’ live feed from Doordarshan that have originally been shared by the rights-holding private broadcasters.
In December some reports surfaced in the media that Star India would have to share the IPL telecasts with the pubcaster DD that will air the cricket matches on its terrestrial network and FTA DTH platform. This would be made possible as and when the government formally issues a directive as both the law and information & broadcasting ministries were being consulted under a regulation called the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007.
If the IPL is being shared between the private broadcaster and the pubcaster, we’ll have to see which one bowls us over with higher viewership.
Star India wins: SC disallows Prasar from retransmitting shared sports feed live
Prasar CEO reiterates implementation of SC verdict on DD’s shared sports feed retransmission
Comment: Does Star stand to gain or lose by sharing IPL with DD?
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.
