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KBC returns SET to top 10 channels across genre list
BENGALURU: The ninth season of the Indian spin-off of the very popular Who Will Become a Millionaire under the Indian moniker Kaun Banega Crorepati or KBC commenced on Monday, 28 August 2017.
According to sources, this season has broken registration records of all previous seasons by registering 19.8 million citizens on the show. And,the viewership of the game show’s episodes over five days until Friday, 1 September 2017 was good enough to bring Sony Pictures Network’s flagship Hindi GEC Sony Entertainment Television (SET) into the top 10 channels across genre list for week 35 of 2017.
SET garnered ninth rank with 504.095 million weekly impressions Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) list for week 35 of 2017 (Saturday, 26 August 2017 to Friday, 1 September 2017) – Top 10 Channels Across Genre : All India (Urban+Rural or U+R) : 2+ Individuals. The channel had last appeared in the top 10 channels list across genres in week 11 of 2017 (Saturday, 11 May 2017 to Friday, 17 May 2017) at eighth place with 472.118 million weekly impressions.
KBC was the second most watched primetime programme in the Hindi GEC (U) markets in week 35 of 2017 with 6.253 million impressions according to BARC data for the top 5 Hindi GEC programmes in the Hindi Speaking Market (HSM) Urban NCCS All : Primetime (1800 – 2330 hrs) : 2+ Individuals.
Six Hindi GEC and two GEC channels each from the Tamil and Telugu markets made up the list of the top 10 channels across genres list in week 35 of 2017. A remarkable feature for week 35 of 2017 was the presence of four Star India channels in the top10 across genres list. Further, two channels each from the Sun TV Network and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) and one channel each from Network 18 (Viacom 18) and Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) made up the top 10 channels across genre list for week 35 of 2017.
The Sun TV Network’s flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV retained its pole position in the top 10 channels across genres list for week 35 of 2017 with 1,009.285 million weekly impressions. All five programmes in the top 5 Tamil programmes list for the TN/ Puducherry (Urban+Rural): NCCS All : Primetime (1800 – 2330 hrs) : 2+ Individuals in week 35 of 2017 were from Sun TV.
Sun TV was followed by Zeel’s FTA Hindi GEC Zee Anmol that also retained its week 34 position of second place in week 35 with 778.876 weekly impressions. The channel’s programmes Jamai Raja and Kaala Teeka were the ranked first and second respectively in the top 5 Hindi GEC programmes in the HSM (R) : NCCS All : Prime Time (1800 – 2330 hrs) : 2+ Individuals. Further Jamai Raja on Zee Anmol was also ranked third in week 35 during primetime in the HSM GEC (U+R) markets in week 35 of 2017.
Network 18’s flagship Hindi GEC Colors moved up one place to third rank in week 35 with 645.973 million impressions on the back of strong support from the HSM (U+R) and the HSM (U) markets during primetime for the eighth season of its reality and stunt television show Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi. Zeel’s flagship Hindi GEC moved down one place to fourth place with 642.612 million impressions. Three of its shows – Kumkum Bhagya and its spinoff Kumkum Kundali and reality singing show Sa re ga ma pa Little Champs were present in the top 5 programmes list during primetime for HSM (U+R) and Kumkum Bhagya was present in the top 5 programmes list during primetime for HSM (U) for week 35 of 2017.
Star India’s flagship Hindi GEC Star Plus was placed fifth with 626.212 million weekly impressions followed by the Sun TV Networks flagship Telugu GEC Gemini with 538.077 million impressions. Star India’s flagship Telugu GEC Star Maa was ranked seventh with 531.41 million weekly impressions followed by Star India’s FTA Hindi GEC and newly christened Star Bharat with 531.083 million weekly impressions at eighth place.
As mentioned above SET was ranked ninth followed by Star India’s flagship Tamil GEC Star Vijay at tenth place with 486.959 million impressions.
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.
