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Zee to use 7 transponders on Insat
NEW DELHI: The Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms Ltd will use three C-band transponders and four KU-band transponders on Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro)’s Insat satellites for its proposed head-end in the sky, or HITS, project and direct-to-home television venture, respectively.
According to a senior Zee executive, the three transponders on Insat 3A, recently put into geo-stationary orbit, would be used for the HITS project, while negotiations are on for KU-band transponders for the DTH project that is slated to get off the ground later this year.
Isro at its headquarters in Bangalore had said on Sunday the organisation is finalising allocations of transponders on Insat-3A among private broadcasters.
“That we would beam the DTH service from Insat satellite is definite. The thing that is being finalised is on which Insat satellite would we be given the KU-band transponders. It can be also Insat 3A,” the Zee executive said.
Though the Zee executive was not forthcoming on the issue whether the company has been directed by the Indian government to use Insat satellite, government sources did give indications on these lines.
“The government would always like private broadcasters, desirous of operating in India, give preference to Insat satellites for transponder usage,” a senior government official told indiantelevision.com.
Meanwhile, Isro chairman K. Kasturirangan told presspersons on Sunday that the multipurpose Insat 3A satellite, launched on 10 April 10, would be declared operational by the end of May.
The transponders being hawked to private broadcasters include four in the Ku band for DTH purposes and three in the C band for HITS operators under the conditional access system.
Agreements are to be signed shortly for these, according to Isro joint secretary SK Das. India’s pubcaster Doordarshan and the department of telecom have been its main customers until recently.
Isro hopes to wean away all or some of the 70 private broadcasting channels and users from foreign satellites with competitive pricing in the coming years.
Kasturirangan had said these channels would offer a potential business of $120 million. The Insat system’s transponder capacity was being augmented and stood at 120 after the launch of Insat 3A. Allocations on 3A and the forthcoming satellite, 3E, around June-July should bring these users into Insat fold, Kasturirangan said.
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.
