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SPE to launch Animax Asia next year
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is continuing to expand the line up of television channels in Asia.
Animax Asia will launch in January 2004. The Singapore, based Animax Asia will be the first 24*7 network outside Japan dedicated to the best that Japanese animation has to offer.
Animax Asia will be broadcast region-wide through three dedicated, highly customised services for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Targeting the youth and young adult audience, the encrypted service will be distributed via satellite and cable. Sony has stated that basic cable carriage agreements have already been lined up in key territories including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Indonesia.
Sony Pictures Television International Asia senior VP and AXN Asia MD Todd Miller added, “SPTI is committed to providing programming that television viewers want. The tremendous popularity of animé across Asia gives us the confidence to launch Animax Asia. In Asia there are some 94 million TV viewers of anime. Animé’s broad appeal promises to make Animax a hit with cable operators looking to drive subscription revenues and with advertisers seeking a youth audience. We have been enormously successful with AXN, and we will leverage our experience in the region to replicate the same success for Animax Asia.
The release adds that Animax’s cutting edge programming and innovative packaging have made it the most popular and widely watched C&S channel since it launched five years ago in Japan. In fact, the ratings show that Animax exceeds certain terrestrial channels among C&S subscribers in the land of the rising sun.
Animax was launched in Japan in June 1998 as a partnership between SPE and four major animé studios: Toei Animation, Sunrise, TMS Entertainment, and Nihon Ad Systems.
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.
