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NDTV Good Times turns 7!
MUMBAI: Redefining its positioning as India’s youngest lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times, is all set to turn seven on 7 September.
With the reach of approximately 30 million individuals in India, the channel defines its target audience as ‘exploring more than refining their core, more confused than confident, more carefree than responsible, more dreamy than realistic, more impulsive than planned and more daredevil than fun loving’, the channel caters to shows focused mainly on genres like food, fashion and travel.
Excited about completing seven years and satisfied with its positioning in Indian television space, NDTV Good Times channel head Arati Singh says, “It’s been a really good seven years where we feel that we have defined the lifestyle genre in Indian television. We believe in providing an immersive and experiential ‘Good Times’ experience to their consumers.”
“With the reach of approximately 30 million individuals in India on 15+ ABC, the channel is ahead of almost every other English lifestyle channel in the country,” she adds.
Along with its hit flagship properties like Band Baajaa Bride, Highway on My Plate, Kingfisher Supermodels, Making of Kingfisher Calendar Girl, the channel is launching an array of new shows this year including You Got Magic and Kingfisher Blue Mile-Mission Mount Everest. The channel will also be sourcing new international content like Adam Richman’s Best Sandwiches in America and Cutthroat Kitchen as a present to its viewers.
While You Got Magic is a half hour, 13 part travelling series exploring lifestyles, food and people. The host of the show is a young magician, Neel Madhav, who interacts with people everywhere and through them and his magic, brings out the hidden treasures of every city he travels to; Kingfisher Blue Mile-Mission Mount Everest is a nine part realty adventure series with Gul Panag. The show is a hunt for a team of six that will take on the base camp trek for the highest mountain in the world. Each campout will have three to four adventure activities where it judges hundreds of contestants on the basis of climbing skills, water based activities to see balance, rope activities and even scuba diving.
It is also launching new seasons of popular shows like Band Baajaa Bride, which turns five this year and Kingfisher Supermodels.
Talking about the content and shows, Singh says, “We have produced a variety of shows that have become brands and are looking at providing more new and engaging content. We currently have 60 per cent Indian and 40 per cent international content on the channel.”
“Content on our channel is young-at-heart and dynamic that also has an appeal across segments and demographics. Our focus has always been multi-platform content creation, and we will continue to do that as we reach across to our consumers through all platforms,” she adds.
The channel mainly produces in-house except for a few shows that require specialised production which it outsources. Production houses including Red Dot, Face Entertainment, Dreamcatchers and Small Screen have been associated with it since inception.
The revenue for the channel mainly comes from advertising and subscription and its main sponsors besides United Breweries are FMCG, e-commerce brands, jewellery and fashion brands. Band Baajaa Bride has been long associated with sponsors like Lakme, Rado and TBZ. The show has also helped in the growth of sponsors as well as the brand Sabyasachi.
Discussing advertising, the channel head comments, “We firmly believe that content is our greatest advertisement, we will be focusing on digital media, outdoor, on-ground and where the youth is.”
“Advertisers today appreciate the tremendous value that the genre delivers. We have had excellent relationships with advertisers across genres, be it from food and related ancillary industries like modular kitchen brands and processed food brands, for instance, to larger, more broad-based advertisers as well, like consumer electronic,” Singh adds.
NDTV Good Times is the flagship channel of NDTV Lifestyle, a part of the NDTV Group. Being the oldest lifestyle channel in India, it is now innovating its programming to reach out to Generation Y.
With #Liveyoung as its tagline, a fresh youthful look, diverse contents and witty anchors, the channel has become a brand name among the English lifestyle space in India.
And on its seventh anniversary let’s wish them a starry and successful future.
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.
