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Stevie Wonder TVC urges African Americans to vote
MUMBAI: In the final push toward US Election Day, tomorrow 2 November a new TV advertisement and public service announcement (PSA) featuring Black singer Stevie Wonder has been released.
The aim is to encourage African-American voters to hit the polls in record numbers, even in the face of reports of voter fraud and intimidation in communities across the country.
The PSA features images of ordinary people of colour against rural and urban backdrops wearing the campaign’s signature “November 2” T-shirts.
Stevie Wonder plays his rendition of “America the Beautiful” on the harmonica and says: “Many fought for the right. Many died for the right. You can’t just
talk about how you want this country to be. On November 2, vote with all your might.”
The TV and radio ads will be broadcast during television programming popular with African-American audiences in Cleveland, Detroit,
Milwaukee, Orlando and Miami. November 2 campaign organisers are hopeful that the ad will encourage the country to stand up and vote, especially relevant to African-Americans in the face of growing documented reports of voter intimidation and fraud.
In 2000 in Oregon and Nevada, voter registration forms were destroyed by the firm hired to collect them. In Columbus, Ohio, dozens of local voters had received phone calls from people fraudulently claiming to represent the local county board of elections, telling them to go to the wrong voting location on Election Day. In Florida, 75,000 absentee ballots had to be re-mailed after they disappeared from the post office.
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.
