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Pro Kabaddi League’s Pune franchisee unveils new logo
MUMBAI: Insurekot Sports, which owns and manages the Pune franchisee of Pro Kabaddi League – Puneri Paltan, has unveiled the new logo of the team.
The Puneri Paltan team is set to battle it out in the latest Pro Kabaddi League Season 2 with renewed vigour and strength. The new logo has undergone significant transformation to depict ferocity and vigour through its vibrant shades of orange and vermillion – colours that represent the Maratha culture in its truest form. The new logo has introduced a lion along with the traditional shield and sword that stands for aggression and agility through strategic attack and defense. These are traits that mark a true Kabaddi player.
To celebrate auspicious beginnings on the eve of the Maharashtrian New Year – Gudi Padwa, Puneri Paltan’s new logo was formally launched by the team’s new coach and veteran Kabaddi player and Arjuna awardee Ashok Shinde and the team’s captain Wazir Singh.
The logo launch was preceded by hoisting the traditional Gudi by Shinde, Singh, team manager Kailash Kandpal along with the captain and coach of Pune District Kabaddi Association and the Women Shiv Chhatrapati Awardees.
The Gudi was raised to welcome the Marathi New Year while embarking on a new journey with Season 2.
Kandpal said, “On this auspicious eve of Gudi Padwa, it is an honour to have our new coach, Ashok Shinde, along with the stalwarts of Kabaddi on this stage. It’s been a wonderful experience for all us in the maiden year. There was a great deal of learning that emerged in the first year. Based on this learning, we are now excited to step into season 2.”
“As always, Insurekot Sports is committed to express patronage and support to Kabaddi and we are gearing up for the forthcoming season which is likely to kick off in July 2015. On behalf of the management, I would like to wish our Puneri Paltan’s Coach, Captain and the team the best and lead our team to victory,” he added.
Shinde added, “This is a proud moment for me to be part of the Pro Kabaddi League and mentor these young and enthusiastic players of Puneri Paltan. I would like to thank team management for this opportunity to give back to the sport that gave me so much. We will give our best to raise the performance bar in the forthcoming season.”
Singh said, “We are excited to play in the second chapter of Pro Kabaddi League. We look forward to learning a lot from Ashok Shinde and incorporate those into our lessons from the last game. We are training hard and will fight each game with full force.
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.
