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Sixth Hot Bird TV awards, for excellence in satellite broadcasting, announced
PARIS: The winners of the winners of the sixth Hot bird TV awards were announced at a ceremony in Venice, last week.
An annual event to recognise the excellence in satellite broadcasting of thematic television, Hot bird TV awards are organised by Eutelsat and Eurovisioni, and sponsored by Alcatel Space, Arianespace and Astrium.
The winners were selected by a jury comprising European television journalists from Le Monde (France), La Stampa and Satellite (Italy), The Daily Telegraph (UK), The Echo Of Moscow (Russia), Ta Nea (Greece), TV Sat Magazine (Poland), Milliyet Sanat (Turkey), Suddeutsche Zeitung (Germany) and Agencia EFE (Spain). The nominees were short listed during jury meet held in Rome last month, says a company release.
The jury scanned 120 thematic channels broadcasting in 13 languages separated to shortlist the nominees into eight categories: News, Cinema & Fiction, Culture, Documentaries, Kids, Music, Sport, and Various.
While Minimax (Poland) and Rai Sat Ragazzi (Italy) are joint winner in the Children category, Sky Cinema Author (Italy) and TCM (France) share the onus in the Cinema & Fiction section. Rai Nettuno Sat (Italy) won in the Culture category, Grandes Documentales (Spain) and Voyage (France) bagged the laurels for best Documentaries. It was Canal Clasico (Spain) that was awarded the honours for Music category, Rai News 24 (Italy) for news and ESPN Classic Sport (France) for Sport. In the Other section it was Public Sénat (France) that took home the trophy.
The criteria that the jury looked for was display of particular originality and quality in programming and presentation.
Besides the regular awards, some special awards were also constituted to recognise special achievement. Eutelsat awarded special prizes to Euronews- to commemorate a decade of broadcasting news, information and current affairs in seven languages, and to TPS Star that has merged premium films and sports into one channel offered within the TPS pay-TV package in France.
Satexpo, the international conference and exhibition on satellite communications held in Vicenza from October 2 to 4 also gave prizes to Sky Italia and its new sports channel Sky Sport.
According to Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta, “We are very pleased to see the onward growth of thematic satellite television that stands as a rich complement next to general entertainment channels. This year has been marked by the arrival of new concepts and talents that illustrate the inherent dynamics of thematic television. I would like to thank and congratulate all the channels that were considered for an Award by the jury for their contribution to a growing store of creativity for the millions of viewers that watch television through Eutelsat satellites”.
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.
