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Playwin to add Mizo lottery to kitty
MUMBAI: After Karnataka, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh under its belt, Playwin, the lottery from the Essel stable, is adding Mizoram online lottery to its kitty.
Pan India Infravest’s CEO Sanjay Das says Mizoram Lotto to be out by September Floated under the name of Dakshin Media, the Mizoram lottery will be launched by mid-September, according to Pan India Infravest Network CEO Sanjay Das. The company, rechristened from the earlier Playwin Infravest, has recently launched the online lottery for the Arunachal Pradesh government under the brand name Max Lotto.
The Mizo lottery will have a weekly and a daily game and the formats will be similar to those used and popularised thus far, says Das, while declining to give out further details of the under-wraps games.
The company is now beefing up its distribution and marketing strategy to gear up to the challenge posed by the latest entrant, Forbes’ Dhan Dhana Dhan, as well as the proposed online lottery ventures by Videocon, Modis, Apollo and Fortune-Essar.
While the company aims to add another 4,000 to 5,000 new ticket dispensing terminals across the country by the end of this fiscal, it did suffer a setback in April this year, when it pulled out of the barely three-month-old Maharashtra online lottery, branded Megawin Maha Lotto, after ‘a disagreement over the interpretation of the terms and conditions’.
Pan India, which posted revenues of Rs 660 crore (Rs 6,600 million) in the fiscal just ended, hopes to touch Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 crore (Rs 10 billion to Rs 12 billion ) by March 2004.
The company is now eyeing other states Rajasthan, Kerala and Haryana for a tie up for their online lottery business, even as Tamil Nadu continues its ban on lottery imposed earlier this year.
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.
