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Zee Marathi scores with awards celebrating its best
MUMBAI: The Marathi language channel from the Zee Network fold has asserted that the second edition of its Zee Marathi Awards telecast brought it some significant returns on the ratings front.
Quoting Tam data, Zee Marathi claims top position in terms of channel share, TVRs and time spent in Mumbai as well as Maharashtra market in all important target groups.
The Zee Marathi Awards was telecast on the channel on 15 August from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. The Tam data (for a period of 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm, CS4+) provided by the channel has the show recording maximum TVRs 8.4, 8.1 and 9.8 in markets Mumbai+Maharashtra, Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra respectively. In CS15+, it is 9, 9.2 and 9.5 respectively.
In the CS4+ category for, the show recorded maximum time spent per viewer as 64 minutes, 58 minutes and 72 minutes in the Mumbai+Maharashtra, Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra markets respectively. In the CS15+ category, the same is 57, 60 and 57 minutes respectively. The channel has asserted top position in this category for the given time period.
In the CS4+ category, the awards slot has reached 14 per cent of viewers in all the three markets. The channel claims second position here, just behind Star Plus which recorded 19 per cent reach in the particular time slot on 15 August. In the CS15+ category, the reach Zee Marathi has recorded is 15 per cent in Mumbai+Maharashtra markets and in the Mumbai market it is 14 per cent. The channel is positioned behind Star Plus and Sony Entertainment Television (SET) here.
The data shows Zee Marathi recording a channel share of 20.7 per cent in the CS4+, Mumbai+Maharashtra market. In the Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra markets the channel has gained 19.7 per cent and 22.8 per cent channel shares respectively. In the CS15+ category, the channel has quoted the related Tam numbers as 19.9 per cent, 20.8 per cent and 18 per cent in the Mumbai+Maharashtra, Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra markets respectively.
Says Zee Marathi head Nitin Vaidya, “Zee Marathi Awards has helped the channel to surge ahead of even Hindi general entertainment channels in the time slot. We were so confident about the popularity of the awards property that we didn’t resort to either outdoor or print campaigns for its promotions. Zee Marathi Awards was promoted only in the Zee Network.”
Zee Marathi instituted the awards on the occasion of its fifth anniversary in 2004 to honour the best performers on its shows. The winners are selected by viewers: through ballot papers supplied by cable operators, SMS and Interactive Voice Recording System (IVRS).
The channel looks at the awards property as an effective marketing medium to create a buzz in the non-Mumbai market. Stars themselves campaign for their victory, thus reaching out to the viewers across Maharashtra.
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.
