News Headline
British High Commission to train DD journalists
NEW DELHI: With Star, Sahara, Zee and Aaj Tak announcing the launch of additional news channels, public broadcaster Doordarshan seems to have taken an initiative to spruce up its reportage as well.
The British High Commission, in collaboration with Doordarshan and Thomson Foundation, Cardiff will organize a two-week training programme for Doordarshan journalists in Delhi next week(13-24 January) and for Doordarshan journalists in Bangalore from 27January 2003 to 7 February 2003.
The training is scheduled to be a professional orientation to mid-career Doordarshan journalists including news producers, correspondents and editors, according to a press release. The course will be conducted by two broadcast journalism experts from Thomson Foundation and will cover the entire array of broadcast journalism and will focus on ‘hands on’ training through assignments in TV reporting and production, it adds.
The courses are part of the commitment of the British High Commission in India to organise training programmes for Indian journalists from all streams of media. In 2002, Indian print journalists and Indian Information Service Officers received a similar training at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. The High Commission has also organised a training course in the North-East for young journalists from the region and Bhutan.
The Thomson Foundation was established in 1962 by late Lord Thomson of Fleet to improve media standards around the world. In the past 30 years, more than 2,000 journalists, broadcasters, managers and engineers from more than 100 countries have completed advanced training courses in the UK. Thousands more have benefited from in-country training.
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.
