HYDERABAD: Tomorrow Indias first paid digital Telugu satellite television channel MAA TV will celebrate one year of operation.

MAA carved a path of its own in an unusual manner by becoming the first pay channel in a market that had several free-to-air channels. To mark its first anniversary Maa TV has announced it will be launching a 24-hour separate news channel very shortly, apart from the news bulletins on its regular channel. MAA is also planning to introduce district cable channels and to offer cable software content. The channel plans to introduce SMS based programmes and boost interactivity in the near future, a company release says.

The programme mix on the channel includes Journalist Diary which analyses current issues and investigative stories. Another show Goranta Deepam is targeted at women.

The anniversary celebrations will take place in Hyderabad at the Telugu Lalitha Kalathoranam. Chandra Babu Naidu will be the chief guest for the celebrations. Several state and the Central ministers and prominent political leaders including Bandaru Datt Atreya, Krishnam Raju and Devender Goud are expected to be present.

On the occasion Naidu will present MAA Visitaseva Puraskaram 2003 Awards to Dr Akkineni Nageswara Rao, K Raghavendar Rao, Dr Dasari Narayana Rao, Dr Vasanthan, SV Prasad, IAS, Dr K Anji Reddy, Paruchuri Brothers, Brahmanandam, Dr D Ramanaidu, AG Krishnamurthy and Dr B Somaraju. Krishnamurthy was formerly the chief of Mudra Advertising. Henceforth, these awards will be given every year to eminent personalities from different walks of life.

The channel will also introduce the Swayamkrushi Awards. These will be given to the people of Tamil Nadu who brave life's odds and physical problems and continue working. One of five people who will be felicitated is medical student Naresh who is supporting himself by running a barber shop.