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Sahara Samay Mumbai schedules 26 September launch
MUMBAI: “Not a vehicle for sensationalism, but a platform to provide constructive solutions.”
That is the USP that the Sahara Group’s western India-specific news channel Sahara Samay Mumbai is pitching ahead of its “final” official launch date of 26 September.
Headed by Rajiv K Bajaj, former president of the Hinduja owned IN Network and editor of The Daily tabloid, the Channel will cover the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and parts of Goa with specific focus on the city of Mumbai.
Under the channel’s scanner will be everything from traffic information to sales to the latest prices of household goods including commodities, vegetables and the rest with a comparison of what is selling at what price in which market across Mumbai. Sahara Samay Mumbai will feature shows that will deal with issues at a micro-level and pick up issues, identify problems and provide actual solutions on TV, says a company release.
“The USP of Sahara Samay Mumbai is complete and total identification with the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat and later Goa. My idea is to convert a city tabloid into television,” Bajaj is quoted in the release as saying. “A total of 32 bulletins (including updates) interspersed with local programming that includes talk shows, events, music, product launches, campus color and investigative in depth programs will provide the channel that extra edge required to take over eyeball time in the city and elsewhere. The way I see it there is every possibility that Sahara Samay Mumbai might just have as much appeal in the rest of the country as it definitely will in the Mumbai, Maharashtra and Gujarat region itself. The logic for the channel is very simple. This is because not only Mumbai but the entire country, and indeed the entire Indian diaspora in the rest of the world has this great fascination for everything and anything to do with Mumbai’s rich and famous, with Bollywood, with Mumbai’s fashion world, its dance bars, discos, night clubs, beach parties and the like,” says Bajaj.
The FPC includes special weekend programmes including special women related talk shows, Ganeshotsav Awards, Durga Pooja, Navratri, Christmas celebrations, Goa Carnival, Miss Mumbai, Miss Pune, and so on. Also included are special shows for school children including Inter School Sports, Inter School Festivals, Inter Ward Sports Tournaments, The Kanga League etc.
As reported earlier on indiantelevision.com, also on the anvil is coverage of traditional Indian sports like kabbadi, kho-kho, wrestling and bullock cart racing. The competition will begin at the village level and then go right upto the state level with the main event being held in Mumbai.
Sahara Samay Mumbai is the third news channel after Sahara Samay Rashtriya (launched 28 March 2003) and Sahara Samay Uttar Pradesh from the Subrato Roy promoted media house.
Also Read:
News, events, shows in Sahara Samay Mumbai’s gamut
Sahara set to soft launch two more region-specific news channels 1 September
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.
