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Zee Cafe brings reality show ‘America’s Next Top Model’
MUMBAI: Zee Café Is all set to launch another popular reality series America’s Next Top Model, starting 21 January. Leading supermodel Tyra Banks is the producer and the anchor of this reality show where fourteen aspiring supermodels will battle it out to win not only the crown but also a glamorous career.
The show will be telecast every Saturday at 9 pm.
Announcing the launch of this reality show on Zee Café, business head Neil Chakravarti said, America’s Next Top Model is one of the most popular franchises within the reality genre. The presence of Tyra Banks should also drive greater affinity from Indian audiences. This is yet another effort from the team at Zee Café to showcase premium content for its viewers.”
America’s Next Top Model chronicles the transformation of everyday young women into potentially fierce supermodels. Fourteen participants will live together and vie for the incredible grand prize: an opportunity to be managed by Ford Models, a fashion spread in Elle magazine, and a $100,000 contract with Cover Girl, states an official release.
Cameras catch each moment as participants face weekly tests that determine who makes the cut. With mentoring by supermodel Tyra Banks and exposure to high-profile fashion industry gurus, the finalists compete in a highly accelerated modeling boot camp, a crash course that could lead to supermodel fame.
Participants are asked to demonstrate both inner and outer beauty as they master complicated catwalks, intense physical fitness, fashion photo shoots and publicity skills, all under 24-hour-a-day surveillance of the America’s Next Top Model cameras, the release adds.
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.
