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LIV Sports bags exclusive rights for the Champions Tennis League
MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media (MSM) has announced that its digital sports entertainment destination www.LIVSports.in holds the mobile and internet broadcast rights of the Champions Tennis League (CTL) for India.
The league has been conceptualised by Vijay Amritraj and All India Tennis Association (AITA). Viewers will be able to watch the live telecast of the league and catch video-on-demand highlights on LIV Sports.
Sony Entertainment Network executive vice president and head digital Uday Sodhi commented that the network was excited to bring the CTL, which has been designed to ignite the passion for tennis and inculcate a love for the sport. “LIV Sports started as the official mobile and internet broadcaster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and then moved on to bagging the exclusive web and mobile rights for the ongoing qualifying matches for the 15th European Championship – Euro 2016, for India. It was conceived to offer quality sports-entertainment content that is mass inclusive and not designed to cater only to ardent sports fans”, he added.
The CTL teams made up of the world’s top 25 ranked male and female players will be structured into two groups, each having three teams each, where they would play each other in a home and away format. The teams topping their respective group will play each other in the grand finale for the prize money of Rs 1 crore. The runner-up will receive Rs 50 lakhs. Each of the six teams will also have an international legend as their playing captain, apart from a noted Indian male tennis player, plus a top ranked junior Indian girl and boy from each city.
The CTL will feature six city based teams, who will play 12 matches over a 10-day period from 17 November to 26 November 2014. Each of the six official CTL teams from Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai comprises of Indian and International marquee players, including local youngsters handpicked by AITA. Some notable players to participate in India include Martina Hingis, Venus Williams, Somdev Dewarman and David Ferrer among others.
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.
