News Headline
Indiavision targets 5 November launch for entertainment channel ‘Yes’
MUMBAI: Kerala’s Indiavision Satellite Communications Ltd, which runs the news channel Indiavision, is gearing up to launch an entertainment channel in the Malayalam television market. The company is targeting 5 November for the launch of its proposed youth-oriented entertainment channel ‘Yes’.
“The new channel will be an out-and-out entertainment channel with programmes mainly targeted at the Malayalam-speaking youth. We are investing about Rs 200 million in the venture,” Indiavision resident director Jamaal Farooq tells indiantelevision.com.
According to Farooq, the funding would be done through equity mobilisation. He adds that the company is looking to source the funding from individuals based in Kerala. “Our flagship (news) channel Indiavision is mainly driven by investments from Non Resident Indians (NRIs). But, in the case of Yes, we are tapping only Kerala-based individuals.”
Farooq also informs that the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has offered to invest Rs 20 million in Indiavision.
Yes, a free-to-air channel, will be using a transponder space of 4.5 mbps on the Insat 4A satellite.
Indiavision is also planning to launch an English news channel targeting South Indian expats based in the Middle East. “We are planning to launch an English news channel in the Middle East after the launch of Yes,” says Farooq.
Awards
Hamdard honours changemakers at Abdul Hameed awards
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.








