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HTA advertising arm reverts to former name
MUMBAI: Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA) has reverted to the company’s original name, J. Walter Thompson (JWT), for its advertising arm.
HTA Private Limited will be the holding company and continue to be the registered entity as before. Operationally, there will be no change as the company will continue to benefit as before from being a part of the Thompson family – access to information and training programmes will continue and the reporting structure will remain the same as well.
Original JWT clients have stayed with HTA when the original ad agency that entered India in 1929, had to leave the company in Indian hands and move out, in deference to government policy. Multi-national companies like Unilever, Nestle, Kelloggs, DTC, Warner Lambert and Ford have relied on the agency over the decades, helping create memorable advertising including Pepsi’s ‘Yehi hai right choice baby’ to Ford’s ‘Josh Machine’ and Lipton’s ‘Jiyo mere lal’.
Reverting to J Walter Thompson name formalises HTA’s role in the global company – as a front-rank agency in terms of size, as a talent pool for JWT worldwide, as a resolute presence in the world’s most exciting market, the company claims.
J. Walter Thompson, part of the WPP group, is one of the largest communications groups in the world, operating in 311 offices in 90 countries with worldwide billings of USD 11 billion. HTA remains India’s largest advertising and marketing communications company with interests in advertising, public relations, direct marketing, design and social and rural communications. It operates through offices in six cities and works with several blue-chip Indian and multinational companies including Ford, GlaxoSmithKline, Godrej, Hindustan Lever, Hero Honda, ITC, Nestle, Parry’s, Pepsi, Philips and Standard Chartered, to name a few.
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.
