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Raj TV holds film festivals down South
MUMBAI: Raj TV has lined up two film festivals down South this summer, to promote brand loyalty among its viewers.
Beginning 10 May, a Vijay film festival, comprising movies starring well known Southern film star Vijay is being held across seven towns in Tamil Nadu. Every Saturday for six weeks, the films are being screened at major theatres in the selected towns. Raj TV has spent an estimated one million rupees on promoting the event, via ads in the Daily Thanthi, Dinakaran dailies, as well as nearly 7000 wall posters and on air promos. Coke has been roped in as the title sponsor, while VIP and Dermicool are the associate sponsors, according to Raj TV’s national sales head Shankar B.
While the channel had a similar film festival based on actor Rajnikanth’s movies last year, it is the first time that Raj TV has convinced Coke into a partnership in the South. All the seven films, including the hit Badri are blockbusters, each having had an over 175 day run in cinema halls.
Next on the Raj TV agenda is a children’s film festival, that will run from 19 May to 23 May. The festival envisages showcasing hit English kids’s films like Batman, Spiderman, Magic Sword and Scooby Doo will be aired at the Woodlands theatre in Chennai and the Archana theatre in Coimbatore. Britannia and Nataraj are the chief sponsors for the event, for which Raj TV is spending close to Rs 2,50,000 in promotions.
Apart from enhancing brand equity, the festivals which have Raj TV giving out free tickets to viewers via contests and tie ups, will ensure brnad recall for the channel and increase loyalty, says Shankar.
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.
