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Only 56.8 % of registered subscribers on private DTH active by Dec 2013: TRAI
NEW DELHI: Only 35.81 million subscribers of the six private direct-to-home (DTH) service providers are active out of a total 62.97 million registered subscribers, working out to around 56.87 per cent. The private DTH players include: Tata Sky, Dish TV, Airtel Digital TV, Reliance Big TV, Sun Direct and Videocon d2h.
According to the Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for the quarter ending December 2013, a total of 782 private television channels and a total of 242 private FM radio channels were registered with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B).
This is apart from the FM radio and TV channels operated by Prasar Bharati. Doordarshan has 37 channels including DD Bharati and DD National besides four allied channels like Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV, Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com.
AIR network has grown up to 299 stations and 461 transmitters (146 MW, 48 SW & 267 FM) which provide coverage to about 99.19 per cent of the country’s population spread over 91.87 per cent area of the country, these sources said.
There are a total of 187 pay channels, as reported by the broadcasters/ distributors for which the rates have been taken on records at the QE December 2013.
The report says the maximum number of TV channels (Pay, Free to Air and Local) being carried by any of the reported MSOs in digital form is 231, while that carried by any of the reported MSOs in the conventional analogue form is 100 channels.
The report showed that of the total 238.71 million internet subscribers, broadband subscribers totaled 55.2 million and narrow band subscribers totaled 183.51 million.
Of these, only 18.33 million were wired internet subscribers while 220.38 were wireless internet subscribers.
The study also shows that 92.13 per cent of the wireless internet subscribers were on mobile, while just 0.19 per cent were on fixed wireless mode. A total of 7.68 per cent of the internet subscribers were on wired mode.
Meanwhile, the number of news and non-news channels has almost become equal with the government recently revealing it has so far given permission to a total of 786 television channels in the country.
According to the statistics revealed by the I&B Ministry earlier this year, the number of news and current affairs channels is 389 while the number of non-news (general entertainment channels) is 397.
Of the total, 664 TV channels including 369 news channels have been given permission to uplink and downlink from within the country.
A total of 31 channels including 27 GECs are allowed to uplink from India but not downlink – thus they are aimed at other countries.
A total of 91 channels uplinked from overseas are allowed to downlink into the country. These include 75 GECs.
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.
