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Trai recommendations on new channels stump pay broadcasters
MUMBAI: Broadcasters are weighing the impact of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s recommendations. Of foremost concern is the suggestion that pay channels launched after December 26, 2003, should not be allowed to become part of the bouquet.
Says Star India chief executive officer Peter Mukerjea,”We may have to dismantle the current bouquet and start new packages. Creating new clusters is a possibility. How can the bundle size be so huge? We can have a certain size and number of channels in it. But we have to study carefully on what the full implications are.”
Sony Entertainment Television India chief executive officer Kunal Dasgupta was positive about Trai’s recommendation to have new pay channels available through set-top boxes (STBs). “It makes sense because we are reaching the limit of channel capacity. It is better to leave the bundle as it is and have new channels through STBs. That is the only way conditional access system (CAS) can be brought in,” he says.
Multi system operators (MSOs) may not have felt that they had their interests totally protected, but see positive directions in the Trai recommendations. Says Hathway Cable & Datacom chief executive officer K Jayaraman, “TRAPs for the existing pay channels is a good idea and a welcome step to move eventually towards CAS.”
Broadcasters were not so convinced about TRAPS. Says Mukerjea, “It is a backward step. Contrast this to telecom where there are so many forward suggestions and the industry is moving towards convergence. The media business can attract foreign direct investments. TRAPS is not the right solution.”
Agrees Dasgupta: “It can encourage piracy.”
Commenting on the Trai recommendations,Hinduja TMT’s Ashok Manshukhani said: “It is exhaustive and forward looking and merits serious consideration by the government.”
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.
