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Cricket: Sahara One encrypts signals
MUMBAI: Sahara One has become an encrypted channel even as it has bagged the cricket telecast rights for the India-England series.
The reason: the telecast signals can’t travel outside the Indian territory. Nimbus Sport has sold the rights to different broadcasters for separate territories across the world.
“We have barred Sahara One signals to other countries since we have the telecast rights for the Indian territory only. However, this is a temporary arrangement till the series is over in mid-April,” said Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd CEO Shantanou Aditya.
According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, Sahara One is using the decoder boxes of sister channel Filmy, which is encrypted and was launched on 12 February. This is an emergency measure seen to hasten the penetration of the channel so that viewers can watch the cricket series. Sahara is also rapidly seeding new decoder boxes across the country.
So will Sahara One’s connectivity suffer? “Sahara One is available in all the cable networks across the country as an encrypted signal,” says Aditya.
Cable TV operators, however, feel there is loss in connectivity of the channel. “They are swapping the Filmy boxes while simultaneously seeding new ones. But Filmy itself is a newly-launched channel and has a lot of ground to cover,” says a senior executive of a leading multi system operator (MSO). The second Test match kicks off on 9 March.
Sources say Filmy has already seeded over 1,000 decoder boxes. Some cable networks, which have been carrying Filmy, have found no problem accommodating Sahara One as an encrypted channel.
“We are showing Sahara One across our network,” says Hathway Cable & Datacom CEO K Jayaraman.
The problem for Sahara is to quickly move into those networks where no decoder boxes have been seeded. “If they organise themselves, the channel can cover up connectivity across the country in the next four-five days, at least in all the top 500 towns. It will be a difficult task but is possible. Cable operators are, after all, asking for the boxes,” says the senior executive.
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.
