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BECIL to audit Mumbai’s Home Systems, Star directed not to disconnect signals: TDSAT
NEW DELHI: The Broadcasting Engineering Consultants (India) Ltd (BECIL) has been directed to examine the headend of Mumbai’s Home Systems Pvt Ltd following a petition filed by it against Star India.
Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT) chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava said BECIL will find out whether the Conditional Access System (CAS) and the Subscribers Management System (SMS) at the petitioner’s headend are properly integrated on the date of the audit.
It would also examine, on the basis of the historical data available in the system, whether the systems were properly integrated during the period April 2014 to November 2014, when the commercial audit was made by Star.
It will be open to the Star to submit to BECIL the report of its audit and the data collected from the Home System in course of the audit. Home Systems will bear the cost of the audit.
It is expected that the BECIL will submit its report to the Tribunal within four weeks and so the case has been listed for 6 November.
The petition had been filed by Home Systems against a disconnection notice issued by Star India based on non-payment of dues. The dues are under two heads – one relates to the licence fee and the other relates to the demand made by Star on the basis of a commercial audit of the petitioner’s headend. The licence fee dues as shown in the notice amount to Rs 56 lakh.
After the notice Home Systems paid a sum of Rs 27,37,690 and according to it, the licence fee dues upto 31 August amounts to Rs 26,74,536, apart from the fee for September.
According to Star, in course of audit it was found that at the petitioner’s headend the CAS and the SMS were not properly integrated and hence, the data generated by SNS was incorrect. Home Systems disputed this.
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.
