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Tata Sky had the largest pay DTH subscriber base in CY 2019
BENGALURU: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report October – December, 2019 says that there were 6.998 crore (69.98 million, 699.8 lakh) direct to home (DTH) subscribers in India as on 31 December 2019 that paid for their subscription. This is in addition to the subscribers of the DD Free Dish (free DTH services of Doordarshan). It is important to note that till March 2019, the subscription figure of the total active subscribers included inactive and temporarily suspended subscribers for not more than the last 120 days. However, as per new regulatory framework of Broadcasting and Cable TV Services, the total active subscribers are now counted to includeonly those subscribers who are inactive/temporarily suspended for not more than the last 90 days.
This 6.998 crore pay DTH subscriber base was split amongst four players. The TRAI report gave the breakup of pay DTH subscribers as Tata Sky with 31.80 percent, Dish TV with 30.55 percent, Airtel Digital TV Services with 23.31 percent and Sun Direct with 14.35 percent. The numerical break up assuming that the number of subscribers was rounded off to seven crore (70 million, 700 lakh) is Tata Sky 2.23 crore (22.3 million, 223 lakh), Dish TV 2.14 crore (21.4 million, 214 lakh), Airtel Digital TV 1.63 crore (16.3 million, 163 lakh) and Sun Direct one crore (10 million 100 lakh).
Please refer to the figure below:
According to the TRAI report, Pay DTH subscriber base in India grew by 0.068 crore (0.6 million or 6 lakh) as on 31 December 2019 to 6.998 crore (69.88 million, 699.8 lakh) when compared to 6.930 crore (69.30 million, 693 lakh) on 30 September 2019. Please refer to the figure below for the quarter-on-quarter change in pay DTH subscriber base.
Cable TV operators
The TRAI report says that the country has achieved 100 percent digitisation of Cable TV network. This is a stupendous achievement making India as the only large country where 100 percent digital cable has been achieved through mandatory regulations.
As on 31st December 2019, there were 1613 MSOs registered with the ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB). Further, as per the data reported by MSOs / HITS operators, there were13 MSOs and one HITS operator who had a subscriber base of more than one million. Details of the total active subscribers of these 13 MSOs and one HITS operator are given in the following table.
Satellite TV Channels
A total of 918 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the MIB for uplinking only/ downlinking only/both uplinking and downlinking, as on 31 January, 2019. The quarter-wise figures of the total number of TV channels is depicted in the chart given below.
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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.
