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Bilingual health channel Care TV debuts 11 December
MUMBAI: Care TV, Asia’s first health channel, is finally making a formal debut tomorrow after a two-month test run.
Live Satellite Media (LSM) CMD Atul Saraf told Indiantelevision.com that the channel will debut with 6-8 hours of programming but will be going 24×7 in another six months.
Moving in to gain from the first mover advantage, Saraf’s LSM had recently acquired Care TV from Tanu Healthcare. Though Saraf did not reveal the details of the acquisition deal with Tanu Healthcare, he said that the company was looking at an investment of Rs 250 million towards operations and programming content in the first year of operations. “Care TV will continue with its running format,” Saraf clarified.
“LSM has the sales and distribution rights for Care TV while Take Care TV Pvt Ltd will handle the programming, operations and management of the channel,” he added.
Saraf, who has 100 per cent holding in LSM, declined to divulge his stake in the recently floated Take Care TV Pvt Ltd, which is being co-promoted by Ajit Gupta. Gupta has worked with Zee, Astha and CMM and has spent 17 years in the central government in various departments.
When asked how the channel was pitching itself in the market, Saraf said that as of now LSM was using ground promotions to generate awareness about the channel. “We are also talking to various channels for on air promotions,” he added. The channel is looking at a market reach of 20 million households by the end of the quarter ending January 2004.
The channel’s programming content is slated to cover a wide spectrum of programmes including a live interactive show which allows viewers to call in with their queries and speak to a panel of doctors. Apart from the interactive show, the channel will be launching two new programmes called Ek Duje Ke Liye, Mera Astitva and other programmes on alternative therapy as well. According to Saraf, programming content will largely focus on what the common man needs and hence will be bilingual. The free-to-air channel is being broadcast via a Thaicom satellite.
Saraf also referred to LSM’s tie up with Perfect Monitoring Services, explaining that Perfect Monitoring will be screening cable transmission and the reports generated on the cable advertisements will be provided free of cost to clients. Also, according to a company release, this would go a long way in reviving regional cable advertising, which was dying a slow death.
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.
