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Terrestrial will compliment switchover to digital: seminar
NEW DELHI: Digital technology in various segments of broadcasting and broadband dominated the second days proceedings at the 11th International Conference and Exhibition on Terrestrial and Satellite Broadcasting, organized by the Broadcast Engineering Society (India) here.
The session on Digital Age: Future of Broadcasting pitchforked several ideas into the limelight where the stress was on a switchover to the digital mode as it would benefit everybody from broadcasters, distributors of signals and
viewers.
But that such acceptance of technology and its use should benefit the viewers ultimately was also brought out in sharp focus when Chellam Bose of Prasar Bharati said, Plans for digital switch-over must focus on the delivery of actual benefit to consumers rather than mere technological take-up.
He further added that the technological and social scale of preparation for digital switchover should not be underestimated in a country like India.
BK De of Sahara India, formerly with Doordarshan, while chairing the session observed that it would be a matter of time when several technologies would have a presence in India, but all will co-exist, complimenting and supplementing each other.
Speakers at this session also dwelt on the future of terrestrial transmission with the advent of digital technology, but the consensus was that the former would survive and exist even in a digital era where the likes of DTH and broadband may rule a certain section of the market.
As De pointed out, even in the developed markets like the US and the UK total switchover to digital transmission has not taken place and now UK has set itself a new deadline of 2013 from 2010.
Todays sessions at the BES Expo started with a keynote address by Lt. Gen. DP Sehgal, president of IETE (India) on factual analysis and status of broadband in the country.
Sehgal described the expansion of broadband connectivity as the growth engine for the broadcast and telecom sector. He outlined new services like 3G and Wi-Max that promise broadband wireless connectivity on mobile handsets or laptops and stressed on de-licensing of 2.4-2.48 GHz band for low power outdoor use and 5.15-5.35 GHz band for indoor.
This, according to him, would help accelerate proliferation of broadband communication in the country in a big way.
During the session on Mobile Broadcasting: Issues Involved Luc Haeberle of the German company R&S said, Viewing television while being mobile does extend viewing on mobile handsets and with widespread expansion of cellular network across the country, the concept of mobile TV will revolutionize TV viewing in a big way.
The speakers in this session included Philip Laven of EBU, Switzerland, Peter MacAvock of DVB, Switzerland and Haeberle. Unfolding the new concept of mobile TV, Laven broached on the subject of DVB-H, which is the standard
for mobile broadcasting.
In a session on Future Trends in Programme Production, it was highlighted that the trends are aimed at achieving higher production standards, while lowering production cost and time.
Speakers included RK Gupta, former Engineer-in-Chief of Doordarshan Ian Wood of OmniBus Systems, UK, Hideki Ohtaka of Panasonic, Japan, Dinesh Sawhney of Sony Corporation, Hong Kong; Roderick Snell of Snell & Wilcox, UK
and N.M. Mehra of Doordarshan.
The BES Expo provides a platform to manufacturers and service providers across the broadcast industry to showcase the latest state-of-the-art equipment. It also provides a rare opportunity to delegates and visitors to appraise themselves with the latest in technology. The theme of this years edition of BES Expo is Broadcasting Vision: 2020.
The three-day event was inaugurated by I&B minister Jaipal Reddy yesterday who said, The Industrial Revolution started in the West and we were slow to catch up. But we are definitely living up to the second revolutionthe information revolution. I congratulate the Broadcast Engineering Society for playing a significant role in this process.
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.
