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Mathrubhumi to bid farewell to its year-long centenary celebrations
Mumbai: The closing ceremony of Mathrubhumi’s centenary celebrations will be conducted on 18 March at the CIAL Convention Centre in Kochi. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the valedictory functions at 10.30 am on March 18. Union minister of information and broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur will unveil the souvenir at the event.
Ministers K Rajan and P Rajeev, opposition leader VD Satheesan, writer C Radhakrishnan, MPs Benny Behanan, Jose K Mani, Jeby Mather, and Anwar Sadat MLA will offer felicitations. MV Shreyams Kumar, managing director, Mathrubhumi, will preside over the event. The one-year-long centenary celebrations were kick-started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 18, 2022.
Mathrubhumi was born in 1923 as part of the Freedom Struggle , which was spearheaded by Mahatma Gandhi. A team of eminent personalities, including KP Kesava Menon, K Madhavan Nair, and Kuroor Neelakandan Namboothiripad, founded Mathrubhumi under the guidance of Gandhiji. Mathrubhumi never wavered in its relentless fight against the colonial forces. The Mahatma used to describe Mathrubhumi as his own newspaper. The daily has been led by the motto ‘ freedom, equality and liberty from the very beginning. Mathrubhumi always adhered to democratic values in every walk of life, sustaining the overarching spirit of the renaissance. The newspaper scaled greater heights under the leadership of the late MP Veerendrakumar, the former managing director.
Mathrubhumi has never been lethargic to the changing times. The Daily takes extreme care in fighting misinformation and disinformation, upholding its reputation as the most credible newspaper in Malayalam. Presently, Mathrubhumi Daily is printed from 14 locations in India (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi). Our first overseas edition started printing from Dubai in March 2013.
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.
