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Nepal One ready for launch in an hour
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Intrepid television journalist Nalini Singh’s Nepal One is ready for launch around 4.45 pm.
The Nepalese Hindi entertainment channel with a focus on entertainment and news and current affairs will kick off with coverage of the imminent US attack on Iraq.
“Probably we are the only entertainment channel in the world that will make its debut by starting off with a studio discussion on the Gulf war with former army personnel, including army generals and Gurkhas who have served during wars in the past,” Singh told indiantelevision.com in Delhi just an hour before the proposed launch, sounding exhausted, but excited.
Singh also said the Gulf War has given them a chance to establish the credentials of the channels that will have a mix of programming and “what better way to start than to air an issue that is being followed avidly in the region.” However, the war situations may affect the quality of transmission from Thaicom 3 satellite around 6 p.m. IST, Singh added.
Nepal One, which is being uplinked from India and will primarily target Nepal cable homes and people of Nepalese origin in India, is a brainchild of Singh’s company, TV Live India.
The permission for uplinking from the Indian government was sought sometime in November last and the permission came through last month. The channel is beamed via the Thaicom 3 satellite and uplinked from Delhi, Singh said.
Nepal One is scheduled to have a mix of music, entertainment and news and current affairs programming, including Nepalese and Hindi films to attract viewers in Nepal and across the border in India in places like the North-East. The channel would also have some programming in Bhojpuri language.
Asked by indiantelevision.com whether the Indian government’s policy decision on channels desirous of uplinking from India and the 26 per cent FDI cap affect Nepal One, Singh replied in the negative.
“We understand the situation well. Since ours is a wholly-owned Indian company, we don’t fall within the ambit of the policy on uplinking. But in future if we want to get in some non-Indian investment into the company, then we’ll have to apply afresh to the government for uplinking,” Singh said. However, she refused to give any details on the financing of the channel. There were some speculation in the media that one of the funders may be a Nepalese businessman.
See related story-
Nalini Singh’s Nepalese-Hindi channel to launch in March
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.
