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Bengali market gross viewership increased in BARC week 29
MUMBAI: Star continues to rule the south regions – Malayalam and Telugu with channels Asianet and Star Maa, while ZEEL’s regional channels Zee Bangla and Zee Marathi continue to rule their respective languages of Bengali and Marathi with Zee Bangla and Zee Marathi after BARC released its ratings for week 29. This week Colors Bangla didn’t do well and came down to fifth position, but in the Tamil market, Colors Tamil came as a new entrant. There wasn’t much change in the hierarchy for Bhojpuri, Kannada and Tamil with Big Ganga, Colors Kannada and Sun TV retaining their top slots.
Bangla
Zee Bangla continued to be placed in number one position in week 29 with an increase in viewership from 276815 impressions (000s) as recorded last week to 306953 impressions (000s) this week. Star Jalsha too remained in the second slot with 299539 impressions (000s) followed by Jalsha Movies, who maintained its third slot with 74170 impressions (000s). Colors Bangla and Aakash Aath exchanged their fourth and fifth positions this week with 56003 impressions (000s) and 59257 impressions (000s) respectively. This week, all channels in this market saw an increase in the viewership as compared to last week.
Bhojpuri
This week, Big Ganga managed to gain the highest number of viewership with 47281 impressions (000s), while Bhojpuri Cinema came second with 45442 impressions (000s), followed by Bhojpuri Dhamaka Dishum with 7230 impressions (000s). Mahuaa Plus climbed to fourth position from fifth with 2333 impressions (000s). Oscar Movies Bhojpuri came as a new entrant this week with impressions 1908 impressions (000s).
Kannada
Kannada region remained unchanged this week as well. Colors Kannada retained its top position but saw a decrease in viewership from 414372 impressions (000s) as recorded last week to 403690 impressions (000s) of this week. Zee Kannada and Star Suvarna retained their second and fifth positions with 382100 impressions (000s) and 151063 (000s) respectively. Udaya Movies and Udaya TV swapped their third and fourth positions this week with 228477 impressions (000s) and 2237431 impressions (000s) respectively.
Malayalam
Asianet, the Malayalam general entertainment channel of Star TV retained its first position this week as well with 299541 impressions (000s). Flowers TV got dragged down to fourth position from second position with 85860 impressions (000s) while Mazhavil Manorama crawled up to second position with 90247 impressions (000s). Surya TV and Asianet Movies retained their third and fifth positions this week with 86420 impressions (000s) and 75016 (000s) impressions respectively.
Marathi
This week, the Marathi market didn’t notice any change. Zee Marathi remained steadfast in the number one position with 279070 impressions (000s). Zee Talkies gained second position with 154940 impressions (000s) followed by Colors Marathi, Star Pravah and Zee Yuva in third, fourth and fifth positions with 145457 impressions (000s), 116852 impressions (000s) and 59103 impressions (000s) respectively. This week all the channels in this market saw an increase in viewership.
Tamil
Tamil market saw a slight change this week. Star Vijay, Zee Tamil and KTV retained their second, third and fourth positions with 496816 impressions (000s), 447840 impressions (000s) and 320731 impressions (000s). Sun TV retained its top position with a gross viewership of 1004673. This week Colors Tamil gained fifth position dethroning Sun Life with 78973 impressions (000s).
Telugu
Telugu region didn’t notice any change this week. Star Maa, Zee Telugu, ETV Telugu and Gemini TV retained their first, second, third and fourth positions with total viewership of 630131 impressions (000s), 545142 impressions (000s), 490403 impressions (000s) and 424919 impressions (000s) respectively. Gemini Movies also retained its fifth position with 200644 impressions (000s). This week all the channels in this region saw an increase in their gross viewership.
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.
