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PanAmSat upbeat at Singapore Expo
SINGAPORE: It’s got a pat on its back from the leading Telco mag in Asia and it is just about completing a decade in business in Asia. US satellite operator PanAmSat Corp executive vice president for global sales and marketing Mike Antonovich has every reason to be pleased. Panamsat is exhibiting at Communicasia 2004 in Singapore’s Singapore Expo.
Says he, “As the company enters its second decade in the Asia-Pacific marketplace, PanAmSat continues to be recognised as the best satellite operator by customers, partners and now officially by the industry,” said Antonovich. “By developing value-added, end-to-end solutions, extending our global network and building new agreements with key customers in the region, we continue to demonstrate our leadership. Most importantly we continue to improve the ways we service our customers on every continent with solutions that transmit broadcast programming, worldwide breaking news and critical business data anywhere, anytime.”
The company has in recent times signed agreements with Japan’s NHK to deliver live high-definition (HD) sporting events and breaking news via the company’s global hybrid satellite and fiber network. It has launched PanAmSat On-Demand Asia service under which customers can hire satellite bandwidth – a satellite on demand. Facilitating the lowering of bandwidth costs, the product provides customers with the flexibility to pay for and utilise the satellite capacity on a per-usage basis. It has also inked a new fiber interconnectivity agreement with ST Teleport, a leading full-service satellite communications solution provider based in Singapore. The agreement extends the reach of the PanAmSat global network from Singapore to California, increasing the company’s ability to deliver its customers’ programming via satellite and fiber to and from the Asia-Pacific and North American regions.
To cap it all, it was also declared the satellite operator of 2004 by Telecom Asia magazine with the judging being done by The Yankee Group and a panel of experts. The award was based on the basis of financial performance, market leadership, technology innovation and corporate governance.
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.
