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Colors’ streak as most-watched pay Hindi GEC across genres continues
BENGALURU: Network18/Viacom18’s flagship Hindi GEC Colors became the most watched Hindi GEC on the pay platform across genres in week 2 of 2019. The channel continued its most watched pay Hindi GEC channel across genres streak in week 7 of 2020 (Saturday, 15 February 2020 to Friday, 21 February 2020, period or week under review) according to Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly data for the top 10 channels across genres on all platforms and top 10 pay channels across genres. Hence week 7 of 2020 was the sixth consecutive week that the channel was the most watched pay Hindi GEC across genres. It must be noted that Enterr10 Television’s free-to-air (FTA) Hindi GEC Dangal continued its run as the most watched channel across genres on all platforms as well as on the FTA platform.
All the 10 channels in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 pay channels across genres on all platforms in week 7 of 2020 were GECs. Six were Hindi, two were Telugu and there was one channel each from the Kannada and Tamil genres. There were three channels from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel), two channels each from Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) and Star India and one channel each from Enterr 10 Television, the Sun Tv Network Ltd and Network18/Viacom18. Nine of the most channels were on the pay platform, while one was FTA.
Please refer to the chart below:
Top 10 Pay channels Across Genres
As mentioned above, Colors was the most watched pay Hindi GEC across genres per BARC weekly data for top 10 pay channels across genres in week 7 of 2020. BARC commenced publishing data in the public domain of the top 10 pay channels across genres in week 35 of 2020. During the 19 weeks of 2019 for which data was publicly available, the first two ranks in BARC’s weekly pay TV across genres lists were generally held by Tamil and Telugu GECs. Colors has broken that trend in 2020 – the two most watched channels in the country were Tamil and Hindi GECs. The Sun Tv Network’s flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV was the most watched pay channel across genres in week 7 of 2020.
Nine of the channels were GECs while one channel was from the kids’ genre in BARC weekly list of top 10 pay channels across genres in week 7 of 2020. There were five Hindi GECs, two Telugu GECs and one channel each from the Kannada GEC, kids and Tamil GEC genres in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 pay channels across genres in week 7 of 2020. From the networks’ perspective, there were three channels from Zeel, two channels each from SPN, Star India and Viacom18 and one channel from the Sun Tv Network in BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Pay channels Across genres in week 7 of 2020 were same as in the previous week with some shuffling of ranks. ETV Telugu, the Viacom18 associated Telugu GEC exited the list in week 7 of 2020 and was replaced by a kids channel from its own network – NICK. Please refer to the chart below:
Top 10 Free channels Across Genres
Dangal and Zeel’s Hindi GEC Big Magic continued to be the most watched free channels in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 free channels across genres in week 7 of 2020 at ranks one and two respectively. Nine of the channels in BARC’s FTA across genres list in week 7 of 2020 were the same as in the previous week. Zeel’s Zing exited the list while its recently launched Bhojpuri channel Zee Biskope entered.
There were four channels from Enterr10 Television and three channels each from B4U Network and Zeel. Four of the channels were Bhojpuri, three were Hindi movies, two were Hindi GECs and there was one channel from the Marathi genre in BARC’s weekly list in week 7 of 2020. Please refer to the chart below:
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.
