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Columbia Tristar & Asia Vision launch international quality DVDs
MUMBAI: Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, along with Asia Vision Home Entertainment yesterday launched international quality DVDs in India at the Times Group owned music store Planet M in Mumbai’s Andheri suburb.
Columbia Tristar is the first Hollywood studio to manufacture quality DVDs in India and that too at an affordable price. Present on the occasion were Columbia Tristar country manager N Muthuram and Asia Vision director Dhirubhai Shah. Asia Vision is the sole licensee in India of Columbia Tristar.
Muthuram said, “It is a momentous day for us as we are launching a totally new format which is the DVD format in the country. DVDs have been in India, but the quality is not like the international ones.” He also said that Columbia Tristar will from now on bring DVDs in India on an ongoing basis and will also manufacture them here. “The quality is going to be international class because of the high standards that we have set for ourselves,” he added.
Talking on the occasion Shah said, “This is the first time that a Hollywood studio has brought DVDs for India. The master copies are made in Australia and will be replicated in New Delhi.”
“At present we have come out with four movies but very soon we are going to release the DVDs of Stuart Little 2 and Men in Black 2. Within the next three months we are also planning to release all time classics like The Guns of Navarone and McKenna’s Gold,” Muthuram added.
The first lot of DVDs that the companies have come out with for the Indian market are Tobey Maguire starrer Spiderman which is the biggest home entertainment product in the world, Jodie Foster starrer Panic Room, Steven Segal starrer Half Past Dead and The One. The introductory offer is that on purchase of every DVD, one VCD will be given free and the DVDs are available at an inaugural price of Rs 599.
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.
