News Headline
Essel Vision Productions gets Hindi fiction head in Sukriti Saxena
MUMBAI: With an aim to strengthen its content, Essel Vision Productions Limited (EVPL) appointed Sukriti Saxena as Hindi fiction head. She will be responsible for the overall Hindi fiction content. Saxena will report to EVPL business head Akash Chawla.
“A lot of quality creative work is what can be expected from EVPL. Sukriti has proven credentials in the Hindi fiction space and a go-getter attitude that we want our core team members to have. She has been given the clear mandate to make this place a creative hub buzzing with ideas based on insights,” said Chawla.
A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, Saxena has over eight years experience in the media and entertainment business. Her last assignment was at Balaji Telefilms as its creative director.
She has also worked with Wizcraft International Entertainment, Sphere Origin and Lowe Lintas. She has been instrumental in shaping up shows such as Pavitra Rishta, Kumkum Bhagya, Saat Phere, Shree amongst others.
Strong operations and creative background and management track record with an innate understanding of market undercurrents and sentiments, she specialises in setting up and running television shows. She has exposure to detailed business planning, strategy formulation and execution with specialised experience in a wide spectrum of areas holding overall responsibility in marketing, live events, celebrity management, television and film production.
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.








