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Star CJ Alive to start selling cars from April
KOLKATA: STAR CJ Alive, a home shopping channel, will start selling cars from April, said Kenny Shin, chief executive officer, STAR CJ Alive.
The home shopping channel owned by STAR CJ Network India, a joint venture of STAR Asia and South Korean home shopping major CJ O Shopping, has already entered into agreements with two car manufacturers, said Kenny Shin, chief executive officer, STAR CJ Alive.
Shin declined to name the two car manufactuers.
Star CJ Alive earlier planned to start selling cars from this month but the 3-6 per cent reduction in excise duty across different class of vehicles in the interim budget resulted in its plan getting delayed.
CJO Shopping which sells cars in China and Korea since 2003, garners good business from the auto segment. “In the year 2012-13, out of $1.5 billion turnover, around Rs 1,000 crore (about $161 million) was contributed by auto sales in China,” he said.
Shin said about 15 per cent of the enquiries get translated into deals. The shopping channel has around 50 million viewership.
Shin expects cars priced between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 10 lakh to sell the most.
He said the shopping channel will also start selling products like insurance and travel packages in another three to four months. It has earlier carried programmes for creating awareness about ICICI Lombard and Tata AIG products.
Star CJ Alive was launched about four years ago and is one of the fastest growing shopping channels in the country. “The television shopping industry is growing at a rate of 35-40 per cent whereas in the current fiscal, we are growing at a rate of around 60 per cent,” he said.
The size of the television shopping business in India is around Rs 2,000 crore and STAR CJ Network India enjoys a market share of around 30-35 per cent at present, Shin said.
Star CJ Alive is in the third position in terms of sales. Home Shop 18 is at the top. Star CJ Alive gets 90 per cent of its business through the television channel and 10 per cent from online shopping.
“Looking at the change in the consumer behaviour in India due to the penetration of online shopping, we intend to strengthen our presence online and reach out to a wider consumer base,” he said. Star CJ Alive offers an array of products ranging from fashion, lifestyle, home appliances, kitchenware to digital products.
On buying preference and trends, Shin said home shopping trend has changed and consumers now also buy personal care products and products like sarees and jewellery. Earlier, home shopping was restricted to digital products.
The channel has 5 million registered customers and aims to increase the customer base to 8 million in the next 2-3 years.
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.
