News Headline
DD invites bids to conduct e-auction of vacant slots on Free Dish
MUMBAI: On behalf of Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan has invited technical and financial bids from interested agencies to conduct e-auction of Direct To Home (DTH) vacant slots of DD Free Dish platform.
Prasar Bharati has decided to hire an agency for providing a secured e-auctioning platform to bring more transparency in the auctioning and process and allotment of DTH vacant slots of Free Dish to private channels on annual or monthly basis, which would enable legitimate bidders to participate in auction through internet using digital certificates (DSC). No physical presence of bidders would be required at DD premises at the time of bidding.
Offered e-auction platform should be envisaged not only for time saving, but bring in transparency, cost effectiveness and efficiency in allotment of vacant slots of Free Dish, which would fetch better revenue for Doordarshan.
Interested bidders are expected to submit the “Financial and Technical” bids along with an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of Rs 1 lakh through demand draft/bankers cheque drawn in favour of “PB, BCI, DG: DD New Delhi” on any scheduled commercial bank payable at New Delhi to be enclosed with the technical bid. The last date for submission of the bids is 10 April, 2015. The opening of the financial bids will be intimated later to all technically qualified bidders.
The bids will have to be submitted to Facilitation Counter, Tower ‘A’, Doordarshan Bhawan, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi 110001.
The Free Dish DTH platform is being expanded by increasing the capacity from the current 64 channels to 112 channels. The expansion would provide a total of 64 MPEG-2 channels and a total of 48 MPEG- 4 channels. Therefore more slots will be available on the Dish TV platform in future for private channels and all the vacancy will be filled purely on the basis of television.
The successful bidder is expected to design, structure and implement the overall process of e-auction on a simultaneous, controlled, ascending basis including the e-aspects with the approval of Prasar Bharati.
Awards
Hamdard honours changemakers at Abdul Hameed awards
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.








