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DD to introduce new infrastructure for 35th National Games
MUMBAI: Indian pubcaster Doordarshan is planning an expansive coverage of the 35th National Games through its main sports and numerous regional channels. This will include live telecasts, highlights and news based programs of the Games.
Doordarshan will start telecasting special programs on Games from 31 January to 14 February, 2015. This includes the opening and closing ceremonies of the National Games.
DD sports, DD National and all other regional language channels including DD Malayalam will telecast the opening and closing ceremony of the Games, live. These channels will also air special programs during the National Games.
From 1 February, Doordarshan will telecast the events live on most of its regional channels. Round the clock coverage of the Games including highlights, news based programs and interviews are also on the cards.
Most of the popular games like athletes, aquatics, football, basketball, kabaddi, tennis, gymnastics, handball, badminton and boxing will be telecast live on Doordarshan. Other events will find space as highlights.
To make the Games a visual treat, Doordarshan is planning to bring in its entire resources and high-tech equipments including HD OB vans, under water cameras, high – tech graphic technologies etc.
High Definition camera used in international events like Commonwealth Games will be used for the first time in the forthcoming National Games.
The 35th edition of the National Games will see more than a total of 9515 participants, among them 7464 are athletes and 2051 of them are non-playing participants such as coaches, team managers and other supporting officials.
Run Kerala Run, the curtain-raiser to the Games, turned out to be a huge success on as people of all walks of life thronged the streets to make it a phenomenal event. It was an occasion for the people of the State to join hands and pledge support to the Games being hosted by Kerala for the second time since 1987. From Parassala in the South to Manjeswaram in the North the simultaneous Run, at all its 21 mega points, 226 mini mega points, and over 10,000 ordinary points, attracted extraordinary crowds.
Sachin Tendulkar held centre stage in the capital, while the other district headquarters had its own star attractions, notably Malayalam film heroes Mohanlal in Kochi and Dileep in Kottayam.
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.
