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India’s TV distributors scramble to meet year-end audit deadline
NEW DELHI: India’s television distribution platforms will have to race against the clock. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has fired a warning shot at cable, DTH and IPTV operators who haven’t completed their mandatory annual audits for 2025—and the deadline is looming.
In a notice dated 31 October, joint adviser Sapna Sharma laid down the law: get audited by 31 December or face financial penalties. The warning follows a regulatory review that found many distribution platform operators have simply skipped their legally required system audits this year.
The interconnection regulations, first notified in March 2017 and amended six times since, are crystal clear. Every TV distributor must audit their systems once per calendar year using an empanelled auditor or the state-run Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd. Miss that deadline and the financial disincentives kick in automatically.
The regulator’s patience appears to be wearing thin. Multi-system operators, IPTV platforms, direct-to-home services and headend-in-the-sky operators have just two months to sort themselves out. The audit process isn’t quick either—it must include a final report from the auditor, meaning operators who dawdle now risk running out of time altogether.
The message from TRAI is unambiguous: comply or pay up. With 2025 ticking away, India’s TV distributors have nowhere left to hide.
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.
