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Southern production house Yantra Media to venture into Hindi
MUMBAI: Chennai-based production house Yantra Media is getting into Hindi programming. The production house, which has a total of seven shows on air in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu currently, is planning to launch an interactive thriller show.
Yantra hopes to launch the show in February. When queried on the channel, Yantra Media head Shyamsunder told indiantelevision.com that two channels were in the final list and a decision would be taken soon. He said production would begin in January 2005.
“I always wanted to get into Hindi. The present thriller show we are planning will be in an interactive format. The viewer will have to solve the puzzle. The production will begin in a month’s time in Mumbai.”
Speaking on his South Indian plans, Shyamsunder said he was doing a couple of shows for Sun’s soon-to-be-launched 24-hour music channel Aditya. According to Shyamsunder, one show would be a sitcom while the other would be a political satire. For Surya TV in Malayalam, Yantra has two shows in mind. According to Shyamsunder, one show will be a regular drama-based soap based on a published work while the other would be a political satire.
“Both the shows will be replacing our own shows which are currently on air in Surya. The shows will be launched after three months,” offers Shyamsunder. “In Tamil, we are launching a daily mythology serial on Sree Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya) titled Murugan Arul. In Kannada, we will be launching a daily soap in two months. In Telugu, we are launching a crime based programme Crime File on 20 December,” offers Shyamsunder on Yantra’s plans for Tamil and Kannada.
Yantra Media left Malayalam channel Asianet and Sun’s Tamil rival Vijay TV and joined the Sun Network in 1992. Since then, the production house has been doing shows for all the South Indian channels under the Sun Network.
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.
