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GoM to discuss telecom, broadcasting and infotech issues on Thursday
NEW DELHI: A Group of Ministers (GoM) on telecom, set up to study various issues related to the industry and allied fields, is slated to meet tomorrow.
It is expected that the high-powered government panel may discuss the issue of convergence and a proposed over-arching regulator for telecom, broadcasting
and infotech.
Though the information and broadcasting (I&B) minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is out of Delhi today, he is expected to be back tomorrow (25 September) to attend the GoM meet.
The GoM is likely to take up the issue of Convergence Communications Bill 2001 (CCB), which is pending Parliament’s okay to be enacted into a law. But a parliamentary panel has suggested over 70 amendments in the bill, on the lines of a law enacted by Malaysia.
The bill seeks to have a super regulator for the three mentioned sectors of the industry, under Communications Commission of India.
Of late, there has been a demand from a section of the industry that without waiting for the CCB to be passed by Parliament, a regulator should be set up for the broadcasting sector, considering the various issues that keep cropping up these days.
Prasad is of the view that the broadcast industry needs a regulator, but has not given any time frame for such an entity to come into force.
It needs to be seen how Prasad articulates the industry’s viewpoint to other heavyweights of the GoM, that includes the ministers of telecom and IT, finance, home and defence.
PRASAD TO MET FM ON DD NEWS
Meanwhile, Prasad is also scheduled to meet up with finance minister Jaswant Singh tomorrow on the issue of Doordarshan News channel that is being proposed to be re-launched with additional government dole of Rs 1,320
million per annum.
The finance ministry mandarins have objected to a proposal for funding prepared by the Prasar Bharati, pointing out that any serious proposal for a channel should also have revenue projections that is missing in the case of
DD News.
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.
