News Headline
Kings XI Punjab partners with AIDS Healthcare Foundation India
MUMBAI: One of the teams of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kings XI Punjab has collaborated with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a global AIDS organisation which provides medical care to AIDS affected patients through its India office.
As part of the team’s social responsibility plan, the aim is to scale up awareness and implementation of HIV counseling, testing and referral services for the vulnerable population in India. Since the state of Punjab shows the highest percentage of youth affected by drugs in the country, according to the team, the endeavour is aimed at combating and raising awareness about one of the largest yet unspoken issues plaguing the country.
During an awareness event conducted in collaboration with Post Graduate Government College for Girls, at Sector 42, Chandigarh and a youth based organisation Yuva where the collaboration between AHF and Kings XI Punjab was officially announced, AHF India country programme manager Nochiketa Mohanty said, “This would be a part of AHF’s 20×20 global campaign to scale up access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for at least 20 million people by year 2020. The larger objective of the initiative is to change the global mindset of people towards HIV testing and investing in treatment scale up that would eventually yield humanitarian and economic benefits.“
Kings XI Punjab COO Fraser Castellino commented, “HIV menace has engulfed the State of Punjab significantly due to widespread drug addiction. As part of the project we have also produced a video “Say No to Drugs”, which will be disseminated through our digital portals in order to build awareness on this topic. We support AHF’s global campaign and believe that greater awareness and testing among these key populations will be required to attain to the 20×20 goal.“
AHF president Michael Weinstein said, “Many countries in the African subcontinent are utilising task shifting measures for HIV testing in order to increase accessibility within the community while keeping the implementing costs of the outreach programs low. If they can, India definitely can implement these strategies to reach out to more than 1/3rd of the total estimated 2.1 million who are unaware of their HIV status but there needs to be an enhanced political and bureaucratic commitment for the same. 20×20 is not an abstraction: if we all commit to getting at least 20 million people on treatment by 2020, we will take a conscious, critical step toward ending AIDS Anchor.”
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.
