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Sun TV regains most watched channel across genres top spot
BENGALURU: The Sun TV Network’s flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV was ranked first in Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly list of Top 10 Channels Across Genres on All Platforms in week 2 of 2020 (Saturday, 11 January 2020 to Friday, 17January 2020, week or period under consideration). This was the first time in 2020 and the first time since week 36 of 2019 that the channel regained what was its regular top spot during earlier periods before the implementation of Telephone Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) New Tariff Order (NTO).
Five Hindi GECs’, two Telugu GECs, and one channel each from the Kannada, Kids and Tamil genres made up BARCs’ weekly list of Top Channels Across Genres on All Platforms in week 2 of 2020. From the network’s perspective there were three channels from Star India, two channels each fromViacom18/Network18 and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) and one channel each from Enterr 10 Television, Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) and the Sun Tv Network. Nine of the channels were pay TV and one channel, ranked second – Dangal, was free to air (FTA).
Dangal, which was ranked first since week 37 of 2019 and even earlier, dropped a place to second rank during the week under review.
Please refer to the figure below:
Top 10 Pay Channels Across Genres in week 2 of 2020
As has become a norm, the top two pay channels in week 2 of 2020 were not Hindi GECs, they were a Tamil GEC and a Telugu GEC at ranks one and two respectively. Star India’s flagship Telugu GEC Star Maa replaced its network sibling Hindi GEC Star Plus at rank 2 in BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Pay Channels Across Genres in week 2 of 2020.
Five Hindi GECs’, two Telugu channels and one channel each from the Kannada, Kids and Tamil genres were present in BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Pay Channels Across Genres in week 2 of 2020. There were three channels from Star India, two channels each from SPN, Viacom18 and Zeel and one channel from the Sun Tv Network in the top 10 list during the period under consideration.
Please refer to the list below:
Top 10 Free to Air Channels Across Genres in week 2 of 2020
Three channels from the Hindi Movies genre, two channels each from the Bhojpuri and Hindi GEC genres and one channel each from the Marathi, Music and Sports genres made BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Free to Air Channels Across Genres in week 2 of 2020. The nail biting India-Australia T20 cricket series has helped increase viewership of DD Sports, bringinr it into the fold of top 10 FTA channels across genres list during the past few weeks. Four of the channels were from Enterr 10 Television network, three channels from Zeel, two channels from B4U and channel from pubcaster network Doordarshan in BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Free to Air Channels Across Genres in week 2 of 2020. Please refer to the figure below:
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.
