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Radio City may go off air in Lucknow from Dec
NEW DELHI: Even as FM radio station Radio City in Mumbai prepares to air live the Star Screen Awards this evening, the Star-Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd. (MBPL) combine is contemplating shutting its radio operations in Lucknow at the end of the completion of the ongoing second year.
A senior executive of Radio City, (Star India’s division which supplies content and handles the marketing and ad sales of FM radio stations for licence holder MBPL) admitted to indiantelevision.com that the huge gap between cost of running operations in places like Lucknow and the revenue being generated has “forced them to re-think on continuing with such operations.”
“The licence fee for the Lucknow station is almost Rs 60 million, while the revenue trickling in is paltry. The business is becoming increasingly unviable and we may have to shut down operations there by the year end,” he added.
MBPL (a company belonging to the PK Mittal group which has been in the news, for running up huge debts against funds which it had garnered for its steel business) completed one year of holding the licence for the FM radio station in Lucknow in November last year and has also paid the licence fee for the second year which comes to an end December 2003.
MBPL earlier had surrendered the licences for Nagpur and Patna and, if Star executives are to be believed, may do the same for Lucknow too “unless the government does something and comes up with a different viable business proposal.”
Still, Radio City is readying to launch in Delhi, along with the likes of Radio Mirchi (an offering from the Times of India group) and RED from the India Today stable, in the February-March period.
At the instance and request of Prasar Bharati, Broadcast Engineering Council of India Ltd (Becil), a government organisation, is putting together the integrators for the private FM radio players. In some places, Prasar Bharati has also leased out its infrastructure to private players to start their radio operations.
Radio City-MBPL may also go in for places like Hyderabad and Pune during the second round of privatisation of radio FM, but only if the “business model is right and the government does away with auctioning of licences.”
In a bid to generate the hype about the awards which will be later telecast on Star Plus, Radio City in Mumbai will air live the Star Screen Awards today evening .
“This is part of our endeavour to involve the average listeners too in the on-going glam shows in Mumbai and keep them updated on such events,” a Radio City executive said.
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.
