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FM bid: HT, Radio Mid-Day West, Adlabs bag multiple licenses in metros
NEW DELHI: Financial bidding for A and A+ category cities of FM radio is in progress. A total of 29 companies in 13 cities have applied for licenses for A and A+ categories. The frequency on offer number over 60.
As per the latest information available with indiantelevision.com, HT Music and Entertainment, Radio Mid-Day West WW and Adlabs have bagged multiple licenses in the metro cities.
Some of the other companies that have bid for A, A+ categories include Entertainment Network India Ltd (Radio Mirchi), BAG Films, Radio Today, Music Broadcast Private Limited (Radio City), Raj TV, Muthoot Finance, Clear Media, Rajasthan Patrika, Delhi Press Prakashan and TV9 Associates.
HT Music, which quoted Rs 350 million for Mumbai, has emerged as the highest bidder in major cities for which bids have been opened till now.
Adlabs has placed bids for licences in six cities while HT Music is confident of bagging licences in all the four cities they have bid for.
Adlabs is eyeing Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai while HT Music has bid for Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore.
Adlabs has quoted Rs 280 million for Delhi & Mumbai, Rs 60 million for Kolkata and Hyderabad, Rs 90 million for Chennai and Rs 120 million for Bangalore.
Including Adlabs, there were seven bidders for six frequencies in Delhi. Radio Mid-Day West quoted the highest Rs 314.2 million. HT’s bid was slightly over Rs 280 million while Pan India Infravest Network Ltd. (Essel Group Company) quoted Rs 75 and Clear Media Rs 133.3 million.
In Kolkata, there were nine bids for five frequencies. Radio Mid-Day West bid Rs 32.1 million while HT Music quoted a little over Rs 60 million, Radio Today Rs 32.4 million and Ananda Offset slightly over Rs 50 million.
The proceedings are slated to go on for few hours as government officials open the bids, kept in separate boxes for each city, in front of authorised representatives from the bidding companies.
The cities that fall in the A and A+ categories are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Nagpur, Jaipur, Lucknow and Kanpur.
Radio Mirchi, a leading FM radio operator, is believed to have bid for Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Nagpur, Kanpur and Surat.
Keep tuned as we bring you more details straight from the place (first floor of Shastri Bhawan in Delhi) where the bids are being opened now.
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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.
