News Headline
Crucial BARC India board meeting today under cloud of landing page issue
MUMBAI: The BARC India board is set to meet today in what can be considered as one of its more significant gatherings. The latest board meeting will be held in the backdrop of a series of controversial developments that have been triggered by TDSAT's order setting aside TRAI's directive on landing pages.
The TV audience measurement body's approach post the TDSAT order has raised concerns from certain quarters of the industry. Indiatelevision.com has previously written about different perspectives from within the industry from a clarity and transparency standpoint.
This is the first time the BARC India board will meet since it gave a nod to form a two-member committee to independently review its data validation and outlier policy that has drawn sharp opinions and observations from across the industry.
The meeting comes a day after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) hosted an open house discussion on review of television audience measurement and ratings in Mumbai on Wednesday where senior officials hoped the landing page issue would be addressed by the industry.
Following TDSAT’s ruling, BARC had notified that it would include the ratings of channels placed on landing page in its weekly ratings data and while releasing the data of week 22, 2019 BARC correctly considered the channel available on landing pages.
On 13 June BARC announced that it is reverting to its earlier method of filtering out outliers or abnormal reach from the landing page which BARC decided to do so, only after receiving some representations from industry players.
With BARC again starting to exclude the outliers, several broadcasters have alleged that the data could be biased as the process of validating outliers for channels is manual.
With several industry stakeholders keen to track the latest updates, this BARC board meeting is far from a routine affair.
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.
