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Pop Asia takes place in January in Mumbai
MUMBAI: This is a piece of news that should interest marketers and advertisers keen on seeing the direction that point of purchase (Pop) advertising is taking.
Pop Asia 2005 will take place from 20-22 January 2005 at the Nehru Center in downtown Mumbai. It will showcase the best and latest international trends in point-of-purchase advertising. The event will bring industry buyers and sellers into direct contact from across continents.
This first edition of Pop Asia will address the requirements of all constituents of the point-of-purchase advertising value chain – brand marketers, advertising agencies, designers, visual merchandisers, service providers and retailers. The exhibition-cum-conference will be the ultimate destination of producers and end users of Pop who will be provided a ready platform to forge mutually rewarding business partnerships.
The event will see participants from both developed and emerging markets in Europe, Middle East, China, South East Asia and the Indian sub continent. Depending on the company profile, exhibitors will be classified into four distinct pavilions: Absolute Pop, retail signages, visual and cutting edge technologies.
Pop Asia chairperson steering committee Harish Bijoor said, “With the burgeoning middle class that is more and more exposed to the best of international trends the retail movement is on a boom. Consumption of organised brands from a host of organized retail players is the name of the game. With the boom in retail, the pendulum has finally swung in favour of the Pop advertising industry today. With retail poised to evolve into the next level, what the industry requires right now is an impetus in the form of new ideas, technologies, investments, practices and processes”.
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.
