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Prasar Bharati in exploratory talks with telcos
NEW DELHI: After having netted over Rs 1 billion in revenues for Doordarshan’s (DD) less hyped sister concern All India Radio (AIR) for the last financial year ended March 31, Prasar Bharati now wants to do better.
According to Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma, Prasar Bharati is holding ‘exploratory talks’ with India’s telecom service providers – both fixed line and cellular – to have a revenue sharing arrangements for thousands of calls that are received by some AIR centres from listeners in the country and abroad for news updates.
The news-over-telephone service has been made available by AIR at its centres in Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Patna. People can call up these centres at designated numbers and get news updates.
To make this facility more user friendly and revenue yielding process, Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of DD and AIR, is also mulling getting a four digit number that would be common for the whole country.
“The AIR centres get thousands of calls daily from people in India and abroad for news. This would mean increased traffic for various telecom service providers. We are exploring ways wherein Prasar Bharati would ask the telecom companies to share part of the revenue they generate through such calls made to AIR for news,” Prasar Bharati CEO K.S. Sarma told indiantelevision.com.
AIR’s Delhi centre alone receives about 3,000 calls per day, mostly from the US, Sarma said, pointing out that this plan would be put into effect after a board approval.
According to him, talks would be opened up with state-run and private telecom companies, including Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (fixed and mobile service provider in Delhi and Mumbai), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. and the lies of Bharti Cellular Ltd and Hutchison Essar Telecom Ltd.
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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.
