News Headline
Zee announces launch of ‘Zee Follow up’ and ‘Cinema A to Zee’
MUMBAI: Zee news channel, which witnessed a steady decline in it’s viewership with the influx of ‘new’ news channels, is making serious efforts to regain lost ground.
Apart from revamping its look, the channel has announced the launch of two new programmes – Zee Follow Up and Cinema A to Zee.
While Zee Follow Up aims at giving the viewers a full perspective of news and take stories to their logical conclusion, Cinema A to Zee , as the name suggests will focus on Bollywood gossip, new film releases and happenings in the film world along with an exclusive interview of some well-known star.
“In news, what is hot today is forgotten tomorrow. Zee plans to change all that. It will pick up the loose strands of hundreds of stories that once made headlines but somewhere down the line lost their steam. The program will revisit those people and places, which had once been all too familiar. Each episode will trace the destiny of cases years after the camera lens turned away from them,” Zee News editor and head of programming, Alka Saxena is quoted as saying in an official release.
In the first episode, Zee Follow Up revisits Mandi Dabwali, where on 23 December 1995, a fire at a school left 442 persons dead. 258 among those killed were children. Hundreds of others were injured or mentally traumatized. The Narasimha Rao government, at that time, had made several promises for their treatment. But what really has been the fate of those children? The program aims to answer these questions and many more, states the release.
Zee Follow Up airs on Saturdays at 7:30 pm.
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.
