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Discovery Channel premieres World Wedding Day
MUMBAI: Discovery Channel premieres World Wedding Day, a show participated by six couples around the world including Bangalore on 14 November.
This wedding season in India, World Wedding Day gives viewers a unique insight into what goes into the preparation of the big day, from buying clothes for everyone from both sides of the family, to the preparation of meals, accommodation and even gift bags for the wedding guests, informs an official release.
The programme features interviews with Lakshmi and Anand, a Bangalore couple abut to get married, sharing their personal emotions and feelings leading up to a modern arranged marriage. Anand tells us about the kind of woman he wanted to marry and how Lakshmi turned out to be the ideal one. Lakshmi reveals that while their parents arranged this marriage, the choice to marry was theirs and they fell in love in the months leading up to the ceremony.
As modern as it sounds to many Indians, the marriage is steeped in traditions and customs with pujas for everything. Unfortunately, there is no puja to ward off the trucking strike that hits on the day before the wedding, driving up the cost of feeding their 1,500 guests by 40 percent, adds the release.
Cameras went to every corner of the globe to experience the pageantry and comedy of weddings in six very different cultures. From the arranged romance of Lakshmi and Anand in bustling Bangalore to a love story in Vietnam; from a Maori holy place in New Zealand to an African Zulu village; from the stunning Italian coast to beautiful Rio de Janeiro; the programme captures the unforgettable excitement of couples starting their new lives together, adds the release.
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.
