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TV Industry veteran Kailasam starts managing Kannada GEC Kasthuri
BENGALURU: Indian company White Horse Network Services floated by P Kailasam has started managing operations at Kasthuri Medias Kannada GEC Kasthuri from 1 November, which is celebrated as Kannada Rajyotsava Day, on a five year lease initially.
White Horse is responsible for all operations of Kasthuri channel including managing of content and ad sales, except for distribution/placement, which will be handled by the owners of the channel’s team, says White Horse managing director Kailasam.
Kasthuri Medias has Anitha Kumaraswamy as managing director. Her husband HD Kumaraswamy is the former chief minister of Karnataka. H D has been a noted film producer, distributor and exhibitor in the Kannada film industry before he entered politics.
“My game plan is to completely revamp the content from the scratch and make it to the top most position with more thrust on contemporary and current subjects,” says Kailasam.
Kasthuri is placed at number five in terms of ratings among the five channels that make up the present Kannada GEC universe.
Kailasam a television industry veteran is a post graduate in Economics, a fellow member of the institute of company secretaries, cost accountant and a law graduate. He started his career with Indian Express in 1989 and was a company secretary and finance manager in HCL, Delhi. Later, he joined the Hutichsion Whampoa Hong Kong group in its telecom operations as company secretary and country legal manager. In 2000 he joined the Zee group and exited in the year 2007 as executive VP of southern operations. He joined Atria’s Sunder Raju to form Kable First India. Today, the Rs 700 crore plus Atria is one of the leading MSOs’ and ISPs’ in the areas that it operates.
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.
