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Zee strikes a barter deal with DD; serials in lieu of payment
NEW DELHI: As a part of an amicable settlement, the Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms is likely to offer Prasar Bharati some serials in lieu of Budha Films’ ( a Zee group company) dues involving marketing of cricket matches on Doordarshan.
“We are trying to settle the issue amicably, as prolonging the matter won’t do any of us good,” Prasar Bharati chief executive KS Sarma told indiantelevision.com.
This is the part of the solution that Prasar Bharati and Zee Telefilms are trying to work out as Budha Films had failed to pay DD the sum which it had promised in lieu of getting the marketing rights of BCCI-organised cricket matches on Doordarshan. Subsequent to this Prasar Bharati had moved to the court to realise part of the Rs. 4-odd billion promised.
According to Sarma, Zee is finalising a proposal whereby it can offer, in return of the Budha Films dues, some serials that have already had a run on Zee TV. The marketing aspect also has to be finalised.
“We are open to the idea of obtaining some popular serials from Zee TV as part of a solution to the payment controversy,” Sarma said. He added, “It is not necessary that everybody (meaning all TV homes) has watched a serial on Zee TV and DD’s audience and reach is different from that of satellite channels.”
Though Chandra himself was supposed to meet up with Sarma last Saturday at the Prasar Bharati headquarters in Delhi, he could not make it at the last moment and instead a senior Zee Telefilms executive is reported to have met up with Sarma to discuss the issue.
A couple of years back, Budha Films had bid for the marketing rights of all BCCI-organised cricket matches to be telecast over DD for a whopping Rs. Four-odd billion. It had also made part payment of about Rs. 1.2 billion, but had failed to pay up the remaining amount. To recover the remaining amount Prasar Bharati had dragged Budha Films to court.
As per a court order, Prasar Bharati has encashed the bank guarantee that Budha Films had furnished anticipating high returns from its marketing activities on the popular game of cricket.
According to Sarma, various modalities have to be worked out with Zee before the case can be given the go-ahead by the Prasar Bharati board.But he did point out that re-telcasting serials or programmes are not new in the TV industry.
Star Plus, for example, has aired some serials and programmes which were produced by Nine Gold (a venture promoted by Australia’s Channel Nine and India’s HFCL group) for DD Metro.
After Nine Gold’s contract with DD was over and the whole venture shut down, Star India had not only acquired the programmes but also brought aboard HFCL-Nine’s chief executive Ravina Raj Kohli as the head of its news venture- the revamped Star News which is waiting to be unveiled on April 1, 2003.
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.
