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Tennis Channel will have exclusive, live coverage of India-Pakistan Davis Cup matchup this weekend
Mumbai: Tennis Channel will have exclusive, live coverage of the Davis Cup World Group I Playoff between India and Pakistan 3-4 Feb. in Islamabad. Matches will begin at 11 a.m. local time each day and can be seen throughout India on Samsung TV+.
Tennis Channel analyst Prakash Amritraj will provide commentary during the competition, working beside announcer Geoffery Chizever.
Amritraj competed for India’s Davis Cup team from 2003-2006 and again in 2008. He contributed to India’s 3-2 defeat of Pakistan in a World Group I semifinal in April 2006. Before his professional career, Amritraj was a star college player who won an NCAA national championship and tournament MVP honours with the University of Southern California in 2002.
The winner of this weekend’s contest will advance to play a Davis Cup World Group I tie in September. The losing side will play a World Group II tie at that time.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be part of the Davis Cup rivalry between India and Pakistan again on Tennis Channel,” said Amritraj. “I know from experience as a player and as a fan that the competition will be fierce and something for everyone to enjoy watching.”
Introduced in 1900 and one of the oldest trophies in sports, Davis Cup is an annually contested “World Cup of Men’s Tennis.” Each year the best players in the world represent their countries in a battle to determine the sport’s best men’s tennis nation.
The Davis Cup playoff comes on the heels of tremendous success for Indian tennis at the Australian Open. The country’s Rohan Bopana, at age 43, won the tournament’s doubles title and became not only the oldest major doubles champion ever but also the oldest World No. 1-ranked doubles player in men’s tennis history.
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.
