Indian news channel NDTV bagged two awards at the Asian Television Awards 2005, including the 'Cable and Satellite Channel of the Year,' honour while Karan Thapar was adjudged the 'Best Current Affairs Presenter' and UTV the 'Best Children's Programme' maker.

The awards, in their tenth year now and presented as part of the Asian TV Forum (ATF), received more than 1,400 entries from 129 companies of 14 countries.

NDTV was also the winner in the 'Best News Programme' category for its programme 'Waves of Destruction' on last year's devastating tsunami.

UTV'S programme 'Gol Gol Gullam,' a game show involving children, won the top prize, pipping broadcasters from Taiwan and Japan.

Thapar, who has bagged honours at the Asian TV Awards earlier too, won for his programme 'Hardtalk India,' produced by Infotainment TV Pvt Ltd for BBC World ( India).

He has previously won awards for best Current Affairs Anchor (1999), best Current Affairs Special (2000), best Current Affairs Programme (2003) and Best Presenter Award (2003).

More awards came for India in the 'Asian Festival of First Films' segment at the ATF. Aseem Bajaj won the award for best cinematographer for the film Chameli while 14-year-old Saksham Kulkarni was adjudged the best male actor for his role in Marathi film Pak Pak Pakaak.

Anita Majumdar, who is of Indian origin but settled in Canada, won the award for best female actor for her role in the film Murder unveiled, based on real-life story of an Indo-Canadian woman who was murdered allegedly at the behest of her family for marrying an autorickshaw driver in India.

I for India was adjudged the 'Best Documentary' and has been directed by UK-based Sandhya Suri.

( www.financialexpress.com)