News Headline
New heights set for Asia Media Festival 2003
MUMBAI: The Asia Media Festival (AMF) 2003 is currently taking place in Singapore. The annual media industry fiesta hosted by the Media Development Authority (MDA) and organised by Reed Exhibitions concludes on 7 December.
Last year around 2000 trade participants from 35 countries took part in the AMF. A new target has been set for participants for this year’s event. An estimated 7000 participants – 4000 from the trade and 3000 from the public are the figures being projected.
This year more content and activities have been added to the three media events of the AMF, the Asia Television Forum, Asia Film Market & Conference and Asia Animation. New highlights include a Policy Forum, participation from the Tokyo Foundation, a new conference track on Digital Cinema and a bigger and better networking party. The organiser has also brought in leading names of the television and film programming industry across the world including Star India, Alliance Atlantis Entertainment Group, Australia; Rozon/Just for Laughs, Canada; Betafilm gmbH, Germany; Granada International, UK.
The conferences will feature dynamic names in the media industry sharing their success stories and thoughts. Key topics include Financing and Funding, Exploring New Delivery Streams Through Convergence, Promises & Pitfalls Of Digital Cinema, The Growth and Evolution Of Asian Animation, The Next Wave – Moving Into New Markets.
Another highlight is the ATF and Animation Superpitches 2003 contest. Here programme producers and production houses can pitch their best concepts to a panel of commissioning editors and broadcasters from around the region.
MDA’s CEO Lim Hock Chuan was quoted in an official release saying, “The Asia Media Festival was a success last year. This year, we are determined to grow it further as a must-attend event for the media industry, where thousands of executives from the TV, film and animation industries gather to network, source for new media products and close deals.
” The MDA will continue to host the festival as it adds to the vibrancy of the media scene, moving Singapore another step closer towards our vision as a global media city. The event also provides an excellent platform for the local industry to reach out to the international market and vice verse.”
The eight Asian Television Awards take place tomorrow. 40 awards including new categories like Best Art Direction, Best Business News Programme, and Best Talk Show will be given out.
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.
