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Star Sports rides high on sponsorships for BWF Badminton World Championships
MUMBAI: Star Sports has signed up high-profile brands as partners for the broadcast of the BWF Badminton World Championships, where India’s ace shuttlers are vying with other top players from around the globe for the title of World Champion.
Bajaj Electricals is the presenting sponsor for the broadcast of the tournament, while Maruti and Ask Me are associate sponsors. Kellogg’s has signed on as the ‘solid start’ partner alongside weight-management company and nutritional products maker Herbalife, which is the nutrition partner for the broadcast of the tournament. Dr. Reddy’s Nise Gel has been signed as the pain-relief partner. The tournament, which kicked off on 10 August in Jakarta will run until 16 August. All matches are being broadcast live on Star Sports.
Bajaj Electricals joint managing director Anant Bajaj said, “The BWF World Championships is Badminton’s most prestigious tournament. It provides a brilliant platform for the continuously improving and promising Indian badminton squad to show their skills. Bajaj Electricals is proud to partner with Star Sports in this association and wish success and glory to Team India.”
World no. 2 Saina Nehwal headlines a contingent of ‘Super Indians’ competing in the Championships, with the best of Indian talent like K. Srikanth, HS Prannoy and P.V. Sindhu, who are among the top 20 badminton players in the world, also taking part.
This tournament, as also the next twelve months, will be crucial for our badminton heroes as they gear up for the Rio Olympics next year.
Herbalife International India vice president and country head Ajay Khanna added, “Herbalife is glad to be associated with Star Sports India for the telecast of the Badminton World Championship to Fuel Champions. Our endeavour is to strengthen awareness on the importance of nutrition in sports, which epitomize the healthy active lifestyle that we promote.We are glad to represent that through our competing athlete Saina Nehwal.”
A Star Sports spokesperson said, “Badminton in India enjoys high participation rates, world-class training academies, and several star players, making the country a force to reckon with in the world of badminton. Star is proud to present the BWF World Championships which highlights our commitment to fostering a multi-sport culture in India. The support from brands like Bajaj Electricals, Kellogg’s, Nisegel, Herbalife, Maruti and AskMe only proves that our efforts to grow a multi-sport culture in India are paying off.”
First held in 1985, the BWF World Championships were played every two years until 2005. In 2006 the tournament became an annual fixture and is played every year except in the years when the Olympic Games are held.
BWF World Championships is the sport’s most prestigious tournament, along with the Olympics and confers the title of World Champion on the victor.
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.
