Animal Planet, a 24-hour channel which comes under Discovery Communications India, will also be providing Hindi programming from April 2, 2001.

The Hindi programmes will air as a half-hour block from Monday to Thursday, 2 pm to 2.30 p m, and a one-hour block on Saturday and Sunday, from 12 noon to 1 PM

Commenting on the new initiative, Discovery MD Kiran Karnik says: "We are delighted to add a Hindi audio to selected programmes. This will provide an opportunity to our present audience to enjoy the best of Animal Planet's spectacular and high-quality programmes in a language that many of them may prefer."

Launched in 1999, the channel already reaches 7.5 million homes, according to a company press release.