News Headline
RX France announces launch of Mip London 2025
MUMBAI: Change is the only constant is an adage we all know. Well, that’s happening at RX France’s long running MipTV market too. The RX France management today announced that the 61 year old content exhibition market which is held in March-April annually in Cannes, France is being wrapped up after this year’s edition between 8 and 10 April. A new event called Mip London will come up come-2025. (Its bigger sister event, MipCom which is held annually in Cannes will however continue with its October dateline.)
Mip London is positioned as a new industry market and networking event which is set to take place 24-27 February with a preopening a day before. The debut event will coincide with the 2025 London Screenings, which have been growing in stature over the years. The venue for Mip London is salted to be the Savoy Hotel and IET London: Savoy Place adjacent venues in the city’s West End. A press release issued by RX France states that Mip London was created following industry feedback to satisfy the growing need for versatile meeting and screening solutions in line with the increased demand for international companies to connect with buyers in London each February.
Mip London, the release states, aims to consolidate an already-busy global TV events calendar, and differs in format to MIPTV. The focus is not on exhibiting but rather providing international companies looking to have a presence in London with tailored, scalable options to showcase and network in one convenient spot. MIP LONDON will have a comprehensive invitation programme which gives free access to qualified buyers.
“The creation of Mip London is a direct result of clear and evidenced market factors,” says RX France entertainment division director Lucy Smith. “There is a continued appetite for a global content market
in the first half of the year. Mip London will not only alleviate a busy events calendar but will provide
an additional entry point for international companies to gather in London at the same time.”
“Staging markets that provide clients with the best possible solutions for showcasing their content and facilitating deal making is what we do best at Mip and take a huge pride in, as proven over decades in Cannes and more recently Cancun,” adds Smith. “We have consulted with many of those already hosting events in London as well as with international companies looking to do so. Our vision is a market that complements, not competes with, the established screenings programme, that provides further options for the widest range of international distributors, studios and buyers to take part and can bring even more business to London in February for the benefit of all. Leading RX France’s first Mip market in London is an opportunity I’m very grateful for.”
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.
