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DD to telecast India-Pak ODI matches
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: Indian pubcaster Doordarshan will air the one-day cricket matches between India and Pakistan, but will not be able to market the matches being telecast over its terrestrial network.
Apart from paying Ten Sports, the exclusive rights holder of Pakistan cricket, a sum of Rs 150 million, DD will also have to ensure that the signals of its terrestrial channels beaming simultaneously through satellites should not spill over to the neighbouring countries.
This follows an agreement reached between Ten Sports and Prasar Bharati before the Supreme Court, according to a Press Trust of India report. Prasar Bharati manages DD and All India Radio.
A division Bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhan and Tarun Chatterjee directed Prasar Bharati to deposit with the court a sum of Rs 150 million by 9 February, which Ten Sports shall receive as full and final settlement for sharing an “uninterrupted feed” of the five one-dayers beginning from 6 February at Peshawar.
As per the agreement, Doordarshan shall not run any advertisement during their terrestrial transmission and must reduce the power of their satellite so that the signal does not spill over to neighbouring countries.
Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma said the public broadcaster would implement it.
“We will obey the order of the honourable Supreme Court and deposit the money. We will get a feed for all the five one-day internationals without running our own advertisements,” PTI quoted him as saying after the court had made its observations.
Indiantelevision.com spoke to an industry expert on the technicalities involved in controlling signal spillover and this is what he had to say: “Basically there are certain signals that Doordarshan technically use to deliver their terrestrial signal to, particularly in the North-East of India. These are very powerful signals (because they have to go a long way!) As a result – they are also available in the other territories. You can “power down” the signals – make them weaker – so the picture quality is poorer and not available over such a wide geographical area. The real answer though is to encrypt the signals and then de-crypt them at the local terrestrial transmitter masts.”
The court also transferred a petition pending in the Bombay High Court in this regard and said all the matters relating to the dispute shall be heard by a three-judge Bench of the apex court.
In a petition, Taj Television Ltd, owner of Ten Sports, had sought a stay of the government guidelines, which make it mandatory for the sports channels to share feed of sporting events of national importance with Prasar Bharati.
Ten Sports has termed the guideline as arbitrary without the authority of the law. The guidelines state that sports channels will share their feed with Prasar Bharati for “national and international sporting events of national importance” in India or abroad.
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.
