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ISRO seeks industry co-operation for space-based services
NEW DELHI: India’s space agency, ISRO, has sought industry’s help and co-operation to realize India’s growing need for space-based services.
ISRO Chairman and Department of Space (DoS) Secretary AS Kiran Kumar yesterday said in Bengalaru that to meet the increased demand for space-based services, it was imperative that ISRO joined hands with industries in an effort towards enhancing capacity.
Kumar was speaking at a “Make in India” Conference on Enabling Spacecraft Systems Realisation through Industries (ESSRI- 2016) organised on June 23, 2016 at ISRO Satellite Centre, Bengaluru.
An official government statement quoted Kumar as telling delegates that almost all the government departments and ministries had evinced keen interest in applying space technology for carrying out their mandates.
He also emphasized on India’s great potential to capture a sizeable portion of the business in the international space market.
ISRO earlier in the week put in space 20 satellites that included many belonging to foreign countries, including the US.
The conference was organised to elicit industry support for spacecraft realisation on an end-to-end basis to meet the rapidly increasing national demand for space based services and the realisation of Prime Minister’s objective of “Make in India”.
The government statement further added that over the years, a number of Indian industries have been actively participating in realising various sub-systems of spacecraft. A variety of models have been adopted by ISRO in outsourcing jobs to these vendors, but end-to-end realisation of spacecraft has not yet been realised. The Conference aimed to fill this gap.
ISRO has announced that the Expression of Interest (EoI) for realising spacecraft on an end-to-end basis has been hosted on ISRO/ISAC websites and invited the industry to respond to it.
During the conference, senior executives of ISRO gave an insight into the requirements of ISRO with respect to hardware, technologies, quality and delivery schedule and what was essential for them to be qualified vendors of ISRO.
About 110 industries in aerospace business participated in the conference.
However, as far as leasing out satellite capacity to Indian customers go, ISRO has been lagging behind in meeting the demands for KU-band transponders, while restricting foreign satellite companies’ access to the Indian market.
In a report on satellite capacity over Indian skies versus demand, released in March 2016, Hong Kong-based Asian industry organization CASBAA had noted that over the last three years, for example, the number of transponders contracted by DTH operators have gone up from 73 to 78 with the share of transponders supplied by foreign operators going up to 75% as ISRO/Antrix has not been able to meet the need through domestic launches.
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.
