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Star ex-distribution head’s company Trinity Platco stitches deal with MSO Spectranet
NEW DELHI: Former Star India distribution head Arun Mohan is back in business after keeping a low profile for over a year. And he is doing what he knows best — distribution.
Mohan’s company, AM Trinity Platco Pvt. Ltd. (where, probably AM stands for Arun Mohan), has stitched a 10-year lease management deal with Delhi’s Punj family-controlled Spectranet, a multi-system operator (MSO) that also has laid fiber optics in certain parts of the city with plans to offer broadband services too.
Confirming the deal to indiantelevision.com, Mohan today said, “The total video business of Spectranet has been hived off to Trinity in a deal that envisages a long term relationship.”
The deal signed entails Trinity paying a flat monthly to Spectranet fee for usage of its infrastructure. Mohan, however, did not divulge the financial details saying, “It’s confidential, but we are here to do business on a long term basis.”
Spectranet, which started off at a time when the dotcom boom was on and talks of broadband services were being bandied around, though is not a dominant player in Delhi’s cable TV scenario. But it has a sizable number of subscribers, including a large chunk in South Delhi where CAS is being sought to be rolled out by the cable industry from 15 December, subsequent to a Delhi high court order earlier this month quashion denotification of Delhi from the CAS rollout map.
Spectranet would continue to own the network and the fibre optic network even as Trinity expands the business and uses the infrastructure. Mohan, however, did not specify whether this was a precursor to a takeover of Spectranet as the branding has already changed over to Trinity Network.
Spectranet has been open to acquisition and/or merger for some years now with the owners, the Punj family, having held several rounds of negotiations with some corporate houses (including the Tata group), which are also active in related fields like telecom and value added services in an era where convergence (of services like cable TV, fixed line telephony, data transfer, video-on-demand, etc.) is likely to take place sooner or later.
According to Mohan, the network of Trinity is getting ready to implement CAS in Delhi’s south zone along with other MSOs.
Broadcast and cable industry sources indicated that if Mohan’s company manages to do a successful job in Delhi, then the company and the services can expand to cities like Mumbai and position itself as an alternative option for broadcasters, especially the pay ones, having problems with the MSO having the biggest market share, the Hinduja-owned INCablenet.
But this scenario is easier said than done. The cable business in India is not any Ram, Shyam and Krishna’s cup of tea. With muscle power, coupled with financial capabilities, having crept into this business a few years back (murders and threats by goons are common), getting the present franchisees of INCableNet to switch loyalty to somebody else would be a difficult task.
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.
