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Trace Sports Stars to take on Indian Stars
MUMBAI: Launched in June 2011, you could call it a niche-within-niche channel however Trace Sports, from the French media group Trace TV – a channel which focuses on sports celebrities – is now repositioning itself, starting with a recent name change to Trace Sports Stars.
As part of the spruce-up, from being a not-so-popular channel, Trace Sports Stars, distributed in the country by NDTV, now claims to have 10 million subscribers. “Having now got a substantial distribution for a channel catering to an entirely new segment of audience, we are looking at creating the eco-system of long term sustainability,” says NDTV Associate vice president Network Distribution and Affiliate Sales Rohit Jaiswal.
More than 50 networks including Hathway, GTPL, Manthan, ICNCL, Ortel, Fastway and Airtel provide Trace Sports Stars as a pay HD only channel for Rs 30 (analogue). Plans are afoot to double the number of subscribers in coming months.
As of now, the channel boasts shows such as Up Close With where sports celebs share their private lives, Just Fan where fans speak about their favourite celebs, Fighting Spirit where celebs reveal tricks of the trade, Body and Soul where celebs talk about their diet and fitness regime, Free Sports with prestigious events from extreme sports, Entourage where fans get to meet the celebs’ near and dear ones and Music Match which brings together a sports celeb and a famous artist for a day.
However, Trace Sports Stars is yet to add some local flavour to interest Indian audiences. “We plan to introduce localisation based on some of the global formats, once we get a critical reach,” says Jaiswal. It would be interesting to see Indian sports celebs like Sachin Tendulkar (who recently announced his exit from Cricket), Kapil Dev, Vishwanathan Anand, Saina Nehwal, Baichung Bhutia, Dhanraj Pillai and Leander Paes among many others talking about their lives on screen.
A channel like this will always be driven by a certain percentage of the audience and not necessarily mass market believes Jaiswal
With the distribution part taken care of, the channel plans to focus on touch points to increase awareness among its audience. “A channel like this will always be driven by a certain percentage of the audience and not necessarily mass market,” says Jaiswal, adding, “Think of it as a sports channel one can watch with his girlfriend/wife and an entertainment channel one can watch with her boyfriend/husband.”
How confident is the channel about its rather niche content? “There is a proliferation of sporting events now being broadcast which helps translate into more awareness and a diverse fan following across all these sporting events and like all fans, sporting fans also like to know more about their icons/idols outside their professional space,” says Jaiswal.
Recently, Trace Sports Stars signed a deal with Remedy Productions on a commission basis to produce more than 100 hours of entertainment programming. Battle of the Bling will compare the biggies in the world of sport such as Christiano Ronaldo and Mike Tyson to their film and music counterparts.
While the channel claims to cater to the age group of 15 to 35 years, it remains to be seen whether sports lovers in the country will want to know what made say a Saurav Ganguly rip his shirt after a win more than him as a player on the field.
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.
