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MTV International teams up with VeriSign to research mobile entertainment internationally
MUMBAI: Funky mobile tunes and wallpapers have started occupying the space of promotional tools when it comes to music-related activities and new launches.
To understand this phenomenon, MTV Networks International has announced the launch of a new international research initiative into mobile entertainment and the digital content market place.
This research initiative will be in collaboration with Jamster! and Jamba!, the providers of mobile content and wholly owned subsidiaries of VeriSign, Inc.
According to a media release, the joint study is to be launched in the coming weeks which will seek to understand usage, mechanics, and frequency of downloading and streaming to mobile phones. The research will focus on MTV viewers and web site users.
The initiative will also provide analysis of the burgeoning reliance that consumers place on access to mobile devices, and the impact of wireless on content creation and communication.
MTV Networks International senior VP research and planning Graham Saxton says, “This new study in collaboration with our mobile content partner, Jamster! and Jamba!, will enable us to understand how the role of mobile content is evolving around the world and how we can develop compelling, new entertainment that is even more relevant to consumers.”
“Jamster! and Jamba! and MTV Networks International are driving the expansion of the mobile entertainment market,” says VeriSign Communications Services executive vice-president and general manager Vernon Irvin.
“This study will be an invaluable tool to understand the market of today and anticipate the trends of tomorrow, ” informs Irvin.
MTV initiates more local, pan-regional and global youth research than any other media company worldwide. Studies in the past have included: sources of Cool, a global initiative that identified trend developments among youth; collections of Cool, a pan-European research report addressing key youth behaviors; MTV Generations, a nine-country European study defining the key mindsets of Generation X and Generation Y; and Switched On, an on-going youth trends monitor.
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.
