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IPL 11 catapults Star Sports 1 Hindi to second place in across genres
BENGALURU: The eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 11 began on Saturday, 7 April 2018, the first day of Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) week 15 of 2018. As has become a norm, the league poaches eyeballs from all other genres in the country on weekdays during primetime. This time IPL broadcast rights were awarded to Star India. Right in the first week of IPL 11, Indian’s penchant for the battle between the willow and leather shows, based on BARC’s weekly data for top 10 channels across genre in week 15 of 2018. Star India’s sports channel Star Sports 1 Hindi (SS1H) made a grand entry and how!
Six Hindi GECs and one channel each from the Tamil GEC, Telugu GEC, Hindi movies and sports genres comprised BARC’s list of top-10 channels across genres–All India (U+R): 2+ individuals. Half the number of top-10 channels were from Star India, two each were from Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel), and one was from the Sun TV Network.
In week 15, Sun TV Network’s flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV barely made it to the top spot in the list with 935.993 million weekly impressions. Sun TV also topped BARC’s list of top-five Tamil channels and all the top-five programmes during primetime featured on Sun TV in the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry markets.
Close on Sun TV’s heels at second rank in BARC’s across-genre list was Star India’s SS1H with 945.856 million weekly impressions. The channel ranked first in BARC’s list of top-five sports channels during the week under review. The top-five sports programmes during primetime featured on SS1H, with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) match being the most watched sports programme during prime time.
At third place in week 15 of 2018 was Zeel’s free-to-air (FTA) Hindi GEC Zee Anmol with 678.472 million weekly impressions. Zee Anmol was also ranked third in week 14 of 2018. Zee Anmol topped BARC’s lists of top-10 Hindi GEC in the Hindi-speaking markets (HSM) in urban and rural (U+R) and rural (R). Balaji Telefilms-produced family soap Kumkum Bhagya on Zee Anmol was the most watched Hindi GEC programme during prime time in HSM (U+R) and HSM (R). Another programme on the channel, Ganga, was also among BARC’s five most-watched Hindi GEC programmes during prime time in HSM (R).
The Star Network FTA Hindi GEC Star Bharat dropped to fourth rank in week 15 of 2018 from second place in week 14 with 675.961 million weekly impressions. Star Bharat was ranked second in BARC’s list of top-10 channels in HSM (U+R), first in HSM (U) and fourth in HSM (R). The show Kya Haal Mr Panchal was the fourth most-watched Hindi GEC programme during prime time in HSM (U+R).
SPN’s women-focused channel Sony Pal dropped a rank to fifth place in week 15 of 2018 as compared to fourth place in the previous week. Sony Pal scored 655.047 million weekly impressions during the week under consideration in BARC’s list of top-10 channels across genres. Sony Pal was ranked third in BARC’s list of top-10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and was ranked second in HSM (R). Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah was among the five most-watched Hindi GEC programmes during prime time in HSM (U+R) and HSM (R). Two more programmes that featured on the channel– crime show CID and Baalveer—were also among BARC’s top-five Hindi GEC programmes during prime time in HSM (R).
Another Star India FTA Star Utsav was ranked sixth in week 15 of 2018 with 578.783 million weekly impressions. Star Bharat was ranked fourth in BARC’s list of top-10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and ranked third in HSM (R).
Zee’s flagship Hindi GEC Zee TV retained its previous week’s seventh rank in week 15 of 2018 with 543.830 million weekly impressions. Zee TV was ranked fifth in BARC’s weekly list of top-10 Hindi GEC channels in HSM (U+R) and fourth in HSM (U). Kumkum Bhagya and its spinoff Kundali Bhayga’s Mahasangam, which was featured on Zee TV, was the second most-watched show during prime time in HSM (U+R) and the most-watched show during primetime in HSM (U). Another soap, Ishq Subhan Allah, was the third most-watched Hindi GEC programme in HSM (U+R).
Star India’s flagship Telugu GEC Star Maa was ranked eighth in week 15 of 2018 with 515.466 million weekly impressions. Star Maa was the top-ranked Telugu channel in BARC’s list of top-five Telugu channels in the Andhra Pradesh/Telangana markets. Three programmes, including a Telugu feature films Raja the Great that featured on Star Maa, were among BARC’s top-five Telugu programmes during primetime.
Star India’s flagship Hindi GEC Star Plus was ranked ninth in week 15 of 2018 with 497.243 million weekly impressions. Star Plus was ranked second in BARC’s list of top-10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U). Two programmes on Star Plus, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Ye Hai Mohabbatein, were among BARC’s list of top-five Hindi GEC programmes in HSM (U).
SPN’s movie channel Sony Max was ranked tenth in week 15 of 2018 with 489.489 million weekly impressions. Sony Max topped BARC’s list of top-five Hindi movies channels during the week in HSM and was among the top-five Hindi movies channels in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U). Hindi feature film DJ was among the top-five Hindi movie programmes during prime time in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U). Sooryavansham and Kanchana Returns were also among the top-five Hindi movie programmes during primetime in HSM (U).
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Four Star India channels among top ten in across-genre list
All Hindi channels with Sun TV in across genres list
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.
