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DD scores with cricket and budget programmes
NEW DELHI: The public service broadcaster doesn’t want to be outdone by a satellite channel where cricket is concerned. It is taking on everybody and asserts that the India-Pakistan match received a very high TRP on its network.
Even the railway and union budget telecasts on DD in all homes and NCS India surveyed region have featured in the Top 100 list.
No matter whether the initial matches of the World Cup failed to dislodge popular soaps from the TV toppers charts, but the mother of all contests – the India Pakistan showdown on March 1 – was successful in putting cricket on top of the Tops. The match, shown live on DD National (as also SET MAX) was a big hit across cities and towns, delivering a high TRP of 15.37 in all TV Homes and 21.78 in cable & satellite homes, according to TAM data.
In absolute numbers, approximately 19 million people watched the India-Pakistan encounter on DD National as compared to 16.2 million people on SET MAX, Prasar Bharati said today.
Cricket was such a hit during the week that, the live telecast of the game and other cricket related programmes occupied all the Top 10 spots for the week ending 1 March 2003.
Although most people watched the cricket match in full
on DD , there were more audience watching when India was batting (15.5 million people). Another 3.5 million people joined in towards the end to see Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid wrap up the match . Approximately 13.2 million people savoured the elegant century of Saeed Anwar during Pakistani innings.
Amongst cricket related programmes Hero Honda Great
Saves on DD National came fourth with a TRP of 11.79. This was followed by Extraaa Innings on SET Max (11.46), LG Master Blaster on DD National (11.26), Bajaj Boxer Total Knock Out (SET – 11.05), Pepsi Best Wickets on DD National (10.94) and BSNL Best Catches on DD (10.49).
Doordarshan serial, Aankhe, otherwise a Top 5 programme, was placed at No. 14. STAR Plus soap, Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii was at No.38 in all TV homes. Surprisingly, the Railway budget programme on 26 February 2003 between 9:49 pm and 10:11 pm got a TVR of 5.03 (all homes) – higher than that of the union Budget placed at 4.09 on 28 February 2003 (9:08 pm to 9:44 pm).
Guess which city gave the highest TRPs? None, but Kolkata, the home town of Maharaja Ganguly.Kolkata watched the India- Pakistan encounter most passionately delivering a high TRP of 32.3 in all TV homes and 30.4 in Cable & Satellite homes. It was closely followed by Mumbai (30.9), Hyderabad (25.6), Bangalore (21.1), Delhi (16.3) and Chennai (14.0).
There was a 24 per cent jump in the total time spent on TV viewing, with the advertisers becoming successful in reaching “difficult to reach” male audience. The TAM- S research shows that the time spent to TV viewing increases with the number of India matches.
The advertisers – Pepsi, BSNL, Reliance India Mobile,
Pepsodent, Maruti Suzuki, LG and Philips – are all smiles, with the kind of exposure cricket has given to their products. With our men in blue doing something new, things can get only better and better.
Doordarshan which is bringing the World Cup in
association with Nimbus, is expecting to earn a net revenue of approximately Rs 200 million.
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.
