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News18 Network appoints Amitosh Pal to lead business in Eastern markets
Mumbai: News18 Network has announced the appointment of Amitosh Pal as branch head – Indian Languages (East) & business head – News18 Bangla, Odiya, Assam.
As part of his new role, Amitosh will lead an effort to establish News18 Bangla as the preferred choice for advertisers and agencies along with leading sales efforts for News18 Assam and News18 Odiya. He will also lead the monetisation initiative for News18 India for the east markets and scale revenue for News18 India from the region.
Amitosh is an experienced media sales professional with a career spanning 25 years, predominantly with ABP Network for the last 19 years. He led sales for ABP Ananda as part of his last stint and also held positions at Zee Network, Siti Cable Network, and Tata Infomedia in the past. Amitosh has diverse interests outside work, including academics, negotiation studies, and travelling.
Amitosh will report to Munish Atrey, CRO, Indian Languages who will continue to report to Mitul Sangani, CEO – Indian Languages, News18 Network.
News18 Indian Languages cluster consists of Hindi as well as regional languages. (News18 India, News18 Rajasthan, News18 MP/Chhattisgarh, News18 Bihar Jharkhand, News18 UP/Uttarakhand, News18 Punjab/ Haryana, News18 Bangla, News18 Gujarati, News18 Kannada, News18 Tamil Nadu, News18 Telugu, News18 Odia, News18 Assam/NE, News18 Lokmat, News18 Kerala and News18 Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Himachal)
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.
