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Cabinet may discuss Star uplink case early next week
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: The Indian Cabinet is likely to take up the uplinking issue and news channels’ uplinking from India and their equity pattern early next week, according to government sources.
Government sources today told indiantelevision.com that the relevant file has reached the cabinet secretariat and would be taken up for discussion by the full Cabinet early next week.
It is also learnt that as a compromise formula, the government may cap the foreign direct investment in news channels uplinking from India at 26 per cent with the likelihood of making a provision that FIIs/NRIs/OCBs can bring in other 23 per cent of investment. This means that the Indian shareholding in such a news company would be 51 per cent or more.
However when indiantelevision.com attempted to get this confirmed from the information and broadcasting ministry late today evening, no official response could be elicited.
It is anyway certain that whether the government takes a stand on the uplinking issue and gives Star a permission to uplink from India or not, the Rupert Murdoch company would go ahead and have a news channel on air from 1 April.
Industry sources tell indiantelevision.com that as of the beginning of this week, Star India teams have been making presentations to advertisers with demo tapes of just what the look and feel of the new Star News channel is. As for the vexed question of the uplinking licence, the message going out is that 1 April there will definitely be a Star News beaming into Indian TV homes. Even if it means having to uplink out of Hong Kong as a stop gap.
On 31 March, Star’s relationship with NDTV for providing content for Star News comes to an end.
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.
