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What’s brewing at Aakash Aath?
KOLKATA: What’s brewing at the Bengali infotainment channel, Aakash Aath? If sources are to be believed, there’s an ongoing tussle between managing director Avik Dutta and investor Ashok Surana over transfer of shares. Furthermore, the channel is looking for an investor, according to them.
“Aaakash Aath is looking for investors as Surana might be asked to leave since he wants shares to be transferred against his investment,” revealed a source from the channel. “In fact, Surana and his daughter have refused salaries of employees as they did not get the shares. Dutta has promised to pay salaries for the month of March. The rift at Aakash Aath started lately after the new owner took control.”
Akash Bangla was re-launched as Aakash Aath in October last year. While Dutta remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts, Surana said Aakash Aath runs on software provided by Channel 8. When he joined hands with Sky Bangla, Aakash Bangla’s parent, the GRP of the channel was 9 and within five to six months, it shot up to around 56. He didn’t comment on the share transfer issue and added that people should find out the truth for themselves, if they so wished.
While a city-based media analyst said it was very difficult to find an investor for the channel.
Just last month, indiantelevision.com had reported that Aakash Aath was likely to launch a 24×7 Bengali news and current affairs channel in the next one year, for which, it had already applied to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for up-linking and down-linking licenses. However, the management had maintained there were no such plans to foray while clarifying that Surana was an investor and not the proprietor.
At the time, sources had hinted that some employees had been asked to leave the channel while others had been asked to look for better opportunities. To this, Surana had said that with the change in genre from news to infotainment, the re-shuffle was bound to happen.
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.
