ITV

Tag: Aditya P Tripathi

  • Discovery special showcases communal harmony in Punjab

    Discovery special showcases communal harmony in Punjab

    MUMBAI: This should provide a welcome break to those fed up with watching the likes of Tagodia creating trouble between communities.

    A Discovery India special examines a small town in east Punjab, Malerkotla, where Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs have lived in harmony for over five centuries.

    The one hour special A Legend Of Malerkotla: A Tale from the Punjab airs on 17 January at 9 pm in the Discover India slot with a repeat on 18 January at 9 am and on 22 January at 12 Noon. After India achieved independence in 1947 Punjab was the worst hit by this ethnic frenzy. In this mayhem, there was only one island of peace in Punjab, and that was the tiny Muslim ruled principality of Malerkotla.

    The special has been made by filmmakers, Iqbal and Anu Malhotra and features interviews with some of the residents who reminisce about the days following 15 August 1947. Violence was visible across the border but never percolated to Malerkotla. The special captures their stories, interspersed with recreated enactments of the scenes of violence in Punjab,says a channel press release.

    Discovery India marketing director Aditya P Tripathi said, “In response to the growing popularity of the Discover India series, the Discovery Channel presents a new season of interesting programmes that depict the country’s multiple facets. A Legend Of Malerkotla will appeal to all secular Indians, especially to viewers in Punjab and Haryana. In the coming months, we plan to bring in more such programmes for the Discover India series.”

    Legend has it that for centuries, the town has been peaceful because of the special boon bestowed upon it by Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the Sikh Gurus. Others feel that it is simply the presence of the shrine of Baba Sadruddin, popularly known as Baba Haidar Sheikh, the Sufi saint, who founded the town of Malerkotla more than 500 years ago. Never in the town’s history has communal dissent disturbed the prevailing peace.

  • Discovery to air ‘Capturing Saddam’

    Discovery to air ‘Capturing Saddam’

    MUMBAI: It was an unexpected finale to a long drama and Discovery Channel is set to make it a special.

    Capturing Saddam , a programme portraying the capture Saddam Hussein will premiere on Thursday, 15 January 2004 at 9:00 pm. Hussein, branded as a dictator of the modern era was caught after months of frustrating search operations that cost the United States Army several human lives and millions of dollars.

    Feared as a vicious oppressor, who killed tens of thousands of people, Saddam Hussein was caught in a rather peaceful manner in a ‘spider hole’ on a deserted farm, says a company release.

    The infotainment channel will be airing the finale of an eight-month long manhunt, which ended on the night of 13 December 2003 after one of the Hussein’s family members volunteered information about his location. The Iraqi military leader was caught hiding in a six to eight foot hole that was camouflaged with bricks and dirt.

    One Alliance’s infotainment channel will be airing the operation titled ‘Operation Red Dawn’, conducted by 600 soldiers of the US Army’s 4th Infantry Division and the events that unfolded thereafter.

    According to Discovery Communications India director – marketing, Aditya P Tripathi, “The capture of Saddam Hussein has been one of the most closely followed events in recent times. With Capturing Saddam, Discovery Channel brings to viewers contemporary history in the making. The programme gives viewers a blow by blow account of how the most feared dictator in the world was captured.”

    The United States brought all its financial resources into play, purchasing information from anybody who was close to Saddam. It took U.S. intelligence several months and millions of dollars to evaluate and act upon the ‘actionable intelligence’.

    Saddam’s day in court will be a defining moment for Iraq and for global human rights. Saddam will be tried for the mass-murder of Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s- a crime known as the Anfal genocide, informs release.

  • Discovery looks to expand programme repertoire with SARS doc

    MUMBAI: Discovery has set itself the agenda of widening its viewership spectrum by increasing the depth of programming. As part of this aim the channel will air the one-hour documentary The Science of SARS on 27 May at 8 pm .with repeats on 31 May at 1 pm and on 3 June at 10 am.
    Addressing a media briefing this morning Discovery Networks India’s marketing director Aditya P. Tripathi said that the SARS documentary was an attempt on the part of the broadcaster to cover current topics of interest. He pointed out that last year the channel had aired a series of specials to commemorate the 9/11 anniversary. “In the last couple of years we have expanded our genres. We have action and adventure for the teens, a kids slot as well as a time band dedicated to woman. With this documentary our aim is to widen our horizons by moving beyond and below the headlines to see how important issues affect our society. This documentary is not just scientific. It also examines the sociological impact of the virus.
    An advantage with this kind of show is that unlike our other programmes which require years of research Science of SARS can be made in a couple of weeks. We are examining a host of topics that we could do specials on and depending on how events unfold we could have a sequel to Science Of SARS.”


    The one-hour programme is divided into four parts and examines the efforts that Professor Malik Peiris a microbiologist and head of the team at Hong Kong university who discovered the virus are making to find a cure. It also examines quarantine efforts being made by the government to control the spread of the virus. On cracking the SARS code Peiris was surprised at finding that it was a coronary virus which one associates with the normal common cold. The show visits China and Singapore explaining what a virus is in the first place and how SARS is different. “It replicates itself through RNA rather than DNA” Peries explained. The show also warns that SARS is possibly be the prelude to another influenza epidemic which could be even bigger than what was seen in 1918.