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Mathrubhumi to organise a one-day event on World News Day
Mumbai: Mathrubhumi on Monday announced plans to host an event on World News Day on 28 September at the Uday Palace Convention Centre, Kowdiar Gardens, Thiruvananthapuram.
Speaking of the event, Mathrubhumi managing director M. V. Shreyams Kumar, who will deliver the presidential address, elaborated on why the centurion institution was associated with the international event, said, “World News Day is a global campaign to display support for journalists and their audiences organised by the Canadian Journalism Foundation and WAN-IFRA’s World Editors Forum. By associating with this event, organised as a part of Mathrubhumi’s centenary celebrations, we intend to reinforce our identity as the custodian of credible and fact-checked journalism.”
Media mavens, eminent journalists, and owners will deliberate on the way ahead for practitioners of credible journalism in our age of disruption. The subject is “Sacred Facts: Media in a Post-Truth World.”
The Hindu former chief editor N. Ram, the doyen of Indian journalism, will deliver the inaugural address. The keynote speech of the first session on “Fact Punch: Curated Media and its Challenges” is by the Indian Express’s former editor Arun Shourie. The event will start at 10 a.m. with a welcome address by Mathrubhumi vice president of operations Devika Shreyams Kumar.
The Times of India, Tamil Nadu resident editor Arun Ram; Outlook former editor Ruben Banerjee; senior journalist Seema Chisti; and Frontline editor Vaishna Roy are the discussants, with The Hindu, Delhi resident editor Varghese K. George moderating the session.
The post-lunch session between 1.45 p.m. and 3.15 p.m. will be on “Counter Media: Narratives, Lapses in Reporting, and Self-Critique,” to be moderated by N. Open Magazine executive editor P. Ullekh. The keynote address will be given by India Today TV consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai.
Senior journalist Hari S Kartha will be on the panel, as will Madhyamam editor V. M. Ibrahim, social media activist Kiran Thomas, Asianet News Group editorial advisor M. G. Radhakrishnan, and media critic advocate Sebastian Paul.
The concluding session between 3.45 p.m. and 5.15 p.m. will be on “The way forward: Is fact-based journalism a winning proposition?” featuring ABP Network CEO Avinash Pandey; Kairali TV managing director John Brittas MP; The News Minute editor-in-chief Dhanya Rajendran; Boom Fact Check managing editor Jency Jacob and Ananda Vikatan managing director B. Srinivasan. While the keynote speech will be delivered by The Indian Express executive director Anant Goenka, the session will be moderated by Mathrubhumi director of digital business Mayura Shreyams Kumar.
All three sessions will be followed by audience-discussant interaction.
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.
