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Akshay Kumar supports the Global Goals campaign
MUMBAI: Actor Akshay Kumar is the first Indian personality to get behind the #dizzygoals challenge in support of a campaign to make the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development famous.
Global Goals, which will be launching its campaign on 26 September, are a series of ambitious targets to end extreme poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change for everyone by 2030 which will be agreed at the United Nations General Assembly by 193 world leaders.
Using the connection of ‘goals’, the dizzy goals challenge invites personalities and the public to run around a ball until they’re dizzy and then to try score a goal.
The #dizzygoals for The Global Goals campaign is already breaking the internet as some of the world’s leading footballers were challenged to shoot a dizzy penalty. Real Madrid FC and Wales national football team’s Midfielder Gareth Bale took the first dizzy penalty challenge for The Global Goals. He was followed by former footballer Gary Lineker OBE, former England striker Alan Shearer OBE and Liverpool Football Club players Jordon Ibe and Joe Gomez.
In India, Abhishek Bachchan’s Indian Super League (ISL) team Chennaiyin FC also took the dizzy goals challenge.
This was the second time Kumar took the hilarious challenge, this time in Dorset, UK whilst shooting for Housefull 3. The #dizzygoals challenge left India’s undisputed action hero no less than dizzy. In the video Jacqueline Fernandez is also seen cheering him along.
The Global Goals campaign, aims to make the Global Goals the most famous Goals on the planet by sharing them with seven billion people in seven days from the moment they are adopted (26 September – 2 October). The more people that know about the Goals, the more people will work to ensure global leaders drive change and the more young people will be inspired to join a new generation of Global Citizens.
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.
