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Great success for FremantleMedia at Asian Television Awards
SINGAPORE: Congratulations to FremantleMedia (FM) Asia and FremantleMedia India, which have each won an award in the highly prestigious 2015 Asian Television Awards.
Held last night in a glittering ceremony in Singapore, the wins were for the ground-breaking pan-Asian entertainment series, Asia’s Got Talent, which was screened throughout Asia on broadcaster AXN; and for our Indian production Nat Geo Covershot: Maximum City for National Geographic.
Nat Geo Covershot: Maximum City (FM India) won the Best Reality Show award, whereas Best Adaption of an Existing Format went to Asia’s Got Talent (FM Asia).
Determined by an expert panel of over 60 judges from across the region, the Asian Television Awards is the region’s biggest and most prestigious awards, attracting more than 1200 entries across 30 award categories from a wide range of broadcasters and platforms. The awards are recognised by the region’s entertainment industry as an important accolade and it is a great honour to receive four nominations.
Nat Geo Covershot: Maximum City is an exciting and creative photography-based reality program featuring 16 budding photographers from across India. They compete to be featured on the cover of the National Geographic Traveller India magazine. Here is a fantastic promo for the series:
Asia’s Got Talent was the highest rated English language show in Asia for 2015, achieving an unprecedented 93 per cent audience share across English language channels in The Philippines for the Grand Final. To sample some of the amazing acts on AGT, please take a look at their YouTube channel:
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.
