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BARC week 41: Regional channels’ pecking order
MUMBAI: With the introduction of the rural ratings data by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India in week 41, the number one slot across various regional channels has remained more or less the same with the exception of Telugu and Bhojpuri language channels.
While in the Telugu channels genre, ETV Telugu emerged as the No. 1 channel in week 41, in the Bhojpuri genre, Dangal TV pipped Big Magic Ganga to become the numero uno channel.
Here’s a look at the pecking order of channels across the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Bangla, Oriya and Bhojpuri languages in the All India (Urban + Rural) market in week 41.
TAMIL
Sun TV continued to rule the roost amongst the Tamil channels with 1092231 (oooSums) in the All India (U+R) market. Incidentally, Sun TV also became the No 1 channel on All India basis ahead of Star Plus and Colors. Second in line amongst the Tamil channels was KTV with 337657 (oooSums) followed by Star Vijay with 183451 (oooSums). On fourth and fifth position were Polimer and Jaya TV with 95731 (oooSums) and 69870 (oooSums) respectively.
TELUGU
ETV Telugu emerged as the no. 1 channel in the Telugu GEC market with 424252 (000Sums). Second in line was Maa TV with 370706 (000Sums), followed by Zee Telugu with 316913 (000Sums). In the fourth spot stood Gemini TV with 255329 (000Sums), whereas Gemini Movies was in the fifth position with 178486 (000Sums).
MALAYALAM
In the Malayalam GEC genre, Asianet topped the chart with 413385 (oooSums), followed by Mazhavil Manorama with 85146 (oooSums) in the second spot. Followers TV with 77976 (oooSums) stood in the third rung, whereas Surya TV with 75531 (oooSums) and Asianet Movies with 74399 (oooSums) were at the fourth and fifth spot respectively.
KANNADA
In the Kannada GEC genre, Colors Kannada maintained its ranking order with 211268 (oooSums). In second spot was Udaya TV with 154276 (oooSums) followed by Suvarna with 153873 (oooSums) in the third spot in the All India (U+R) market in week 41. Zee Kannada, which was in second spot in C&S 1Lac+ marker in week 40, surfaced at the fifth spot in the All India (U+R) market in week 41 with 114845 (oooSums).
MARATHI
Zee Marathi with 116598 Rat (oooSums) leads the Marathi GEC genre followed by Colors Marathi with 73520 (oooSums) in the second spot. Zee Talkies was in the third spot with 55350 (oooSums). Star Pravah with 36992 (oooSums) and Maiboli with 23975 (oooSums) were in the fourth and fifth spot respectively.
BANGLA
Star Jalsha topped the Bengali GEC space with 241463 (000Sums). In second spot was Zee Bangla with 160222 (000Sums) and Jalsha Movies with 57045 (000Sums) stood in the third rung. Colors Bangla with 40571 (000Sums) was in the fourth spot, where Zee Bangla Cinema with 31173 (000Sums) came in fifth.
ORIYA
In the Oriya channels market, Sarthak TV led with 86337 (000Sums), followed by Tarang TV with 52529 (000Sums) in the second spot. Colors Oriya came up in the third spot with 19247 (000Sums), whereas Odisha TV with 18141 (000Sums) and Alankar with 11600 (000Sums) were in the fourth and fifth spot respectively.
BHOJPURI
Dangal TV with 12650 (000Sums) led the pack by a large margin in the Bihar & Jharkhand NCCS All: Individuals: All India (U+R) data. On second spot was Big Magic Ganga with 8138 (000Sums), followed by ETV Bihar Jharkhand with 5961 (000Sums) in the third slot. The fourth and fifth positions were occupied by DD Bihar and Anjan TV respectively. While DD Bihar scored 3130 (000Sums), Anjan TV totted 2667 (000Sums).
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.
