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Green TV completes one year; eyes expansion to Africa & Indonesia
NEW DELHI: Green TV, India’s first private TV channel to reach out to rural areas, has completed its first year of operations and is now eyeing more markets to launch.
As of now Green TV is available across Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia, wherever INTELSAT 20 has its footprint. The channel is planning to further expand to the African market as well as Indonesia in the near future.
While the channel claims to have reached out to over 15 million viewers in its first year run, the target is to reach 60 million viewers in the coming year through cable TV networks.
Green TV has a distribution team of about 35 people travelling through villages and midsize towns for months to reach out to those cable operators who hardly get importance from broadcasters.
“After seeing Green TV’s reach, DTH operators who were initially unwilling to carry Green TV or expected huge carriage fees are now expressing interest. Our push in the rural market is giving a boost to these cable operators who were previously neglected,” said Green TV co-founder and managing director Junaid Memon.
Apart from conventional cable & DTH, Green TV’s live feed is also available on mobile devices as 50 per cent of rural population still doesn’t have electricity supply for more than six hours a day whereas almost every villager has a mobile phone. Green TV is already present on the internet via its Live TV feed.
The channel is also developing several short web series, apart from regular 25 minute TV episodes and their shorter edits for the internet. These will initially be targeted to urban audiences only.
Additionally, to mark the completion of its first year, Green TV has launched a unique ‘DOIALT- Donate once in a Life Time’ blood donation campaign.
The campaign is the brain child of retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Keshav Chandra and is intended to initiate a nationwide blood donation campaign. It emphasises the fact that if every normal human donates blood only once in his or her lifetime, there will be no deficit of blood in blood banks.
Memon added, “We are very grateful to our viewers for constantly supporting us on our journey. On our first anniversary, we are excited about the future of the channel. As far as I can remember, 70 per cent of India’s population has always lived in villages. While urban India is spoilt with a plethora of choices, rural India remains where it is. The focus for all marketers remains urban India. We have over 200 channels catering to just 30 per cent of the population! What about the remaining 70 per cent? There is no channel for those whose livelihood depends only on information and innovation. Launching a channel is the least one can do for this information deprived and often misinformed community. Green TV is not solely about environmental awareness, although many of our programmes are about environment-related issues.”
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.
