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Kasthuri to air grand finale of ‘Chinnadha Bete’ on 21 November
BENGALURU: 8 pm, Friday, 21 November will be a day when it will rain gold on the participants at grand finale of the flagship show of Kasthuri TV – Chinnadha Bete (Gold Hunting). During the three hours, winners from a bevy of celebrities, film stars, television artistes and the general public who made it to the finals of each week as well as four people selected by the lucky draw will vie for 100 grams of gold or settle for second best with 50 grams of the noble metal.
Kasthuri TV has done well to rope in Sudarshan Jewellers as title sponsors and big brands as programme sponsors. These include Lake, TVS, Castro, Pantene, Dettol, Santoor, besides a host of advertisers for the show, reveal sources at the channel.
Chinnadha Bete, a home grown production, has been the top performing show in Kasthuri TV’s kitty and has managed to reach respectable ratings in the Kannada GEC space that has had big games shows like the Kannada editions of KBC and Bigg Boss on air.
Chinnadha Bete is a game show for female participants with a difference. It runs Monday to Friday every week for 90 minutes during primetime. Each week different tasks or contests as well as the luck of the draw help select the winner. In all, this season will clock 65 episodes including the grand finale to be aired this Friday.
Some of the tasks and contests include Joker Game, Pool Board Game, Fish Tank Game, Ragi and Golden Coins Game, Caterpillar Game, Boxing Ring Game, Gym Ball Game and so on.
On Monday, film stars compete for the small finale that is held on Friday. On Tuesday, it is the turn of television artistes from the Kannada GEC space. Wednesday is the turn of the public that are selected through auditions and Thursday, it is celebrities that take part. Winners of the daily episodes compete with each other on Friday and the weekly winner goes onto participate in the grand finale or the fourth month.
Among the film artistes and celebrities that have taken part in Chinnadha Bete include crooner Supriya Lohith, news anchors Prathima Bhat and Navitha Jain – news anchor, RJ Nethra , Soumya -a model, female actors Deepika , Ramya Barna, Tejaswini, Sindhu Loknath, Poornima, Sanathani, Rekha Das, Apoorva, Jeevika, Neha Patil, Roopashri, Mytreya and Karunya.
TV artistes from other channels that have participated in the game show this season include Yamuna, Nagashree, Kavitha Kambhar, Aruna Balraj, Nandini Vallish, Jayashri, Padmakala, Meghashri, Shwetha Rao and Shobha Shetty among others.
The channel sponsor has been rewarding participants quite well too-winners from Monday to Thursday episodes are given 2 grams of gold, the weekly winners 4 grams, and winners who compete in the mega finals will be given 5 grams of gold, besides the 100 grams of gold for the finale winner and the 50 grams of gold for the runner-up.
Among the weekly celebrity winners for the first season are female lead actors Neha Patil, Roopashri, and Shruthi a public contestant selected through auditions.
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.
