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Star Sports gets support but ban continues
The battle between Mumbai’s cable operators and ESPN-Star Sports is entering another phase. Cable operators are believed to have met the information & broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley yesterday presenting to him their grouses against the sports services and how the contracts drawn up by them are totally one-sided. Jaitley is believed to have heard them out. One will have to wait and watch how Jaitley will react.
ESPN-Star Sports meanwhile has received support from the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, a representative body of television channels, programmers, producers, advertisers and marketers, and the Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI), a representative body of cable operators. The two have condemned the initiative by cable operators to black out the two sports services following a hike in subscription rates by Star Sports.
IBF president and Prasar Bharati CEO Rajiv Ratna Shah says: “Pay TV is going to be the norm for the future. Television programming being a very expensive proposition, the channels need more than one revenue stream besides advertising, subscription fees too may be necessary. That’s how the television industry has evolved around the world and India is no exception.”
He added, “Just as newspapers, the television channels cannot survive on advertising revenues alone. Newspaper prices average about 50-120 rupees per month today whereas the channels charge only about 3 – 8 rupees per month. The pay TV charges in India are among the lowest in the world. The subscriber fee set by each channel is a business decision it has to make, and must take into account the market conditions. We therefore do not favour pressure tactics adopted by some persons, including black-out of some channels by a few cable operators from Mumbai.”
COFI has on its part also condemned the mixing of politics with business. “Often the modus operandi used by politicians or their relatives is to divide the cable operators on political ground and present to the government that certain issues be resolved which may give them personal benefits and avoiding the main issues that have adversely affecting the industry since last 10 years.” COFI has also frowned upon the practice of politicians who have been forcibly taking over networks from small operators using the cover of friends and relatives.
ESPN Software India managing director Manu Sawhney’s has also warned cable operators that they are legally bound to show ESPN and Star Sports on their networks as they have signed contracts to that effect. to the cable operators Says Sawhney, “The television viewers are being deprived by the cable operators of watching the exciting cricket series on ESPN and STAR Sports. This is in complete violation of the agreements that they have signed with us under which they are contractually and legally bound to provide the ESPN and STAR Sports services to the consumers of the cable network for reception by their subscribers”.
Meanwhile cable operators do not seem to be affected by the furore they have created by imposing the ban. There were no signs of ESPN and Star Sports making a come back on to TV screens in Mumbai as the ban entered its second week. Viewers in Mumbai have tuned into Sony Max which has been airing the youth World Cup tournament from Colombo. And hence they have not been raising a stink. This apart the Indian cricket team has been putting up a good enough show to make viewers believe that they are missing out on a good thing.
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.
