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Gujarat Giants win Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 title
Mumbai: Gujarat Giants became champions of Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 with a 31-26 victory over Chennai Quick Guns at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack on Saturday.
Despite battling bouts of inconsistency during the league phase, Gujarat Giants were superb on the day as they closed off the contest in the first innings itself. Chennai Quick Guns, who were favourites coming into the match, will rue their failure to get going from the onset. That meant that a superb comeback in the final turn was not enough.
Ultimate Kho Kho, promoted by Amit Burman in collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India, became the first Indian sports league to secure Series A funding, courtesy the UK-based BNP Group. In attendance at Saturday’s final was Puri’s Member of Parliament Pinaki Misra.
“I watch Kho Kho on television but being here live is electrifying,” said Shri Misra. “Watching this live, you realise how difficult the game is, but also how simple the game is. It is fascinating that these boys who come from relatively less privileged backgrounds are doing such a marvellous job.”
Gujarat Giants took home a purse of Rs 1 crore while Chennai Quick Guns received Rs 50 lakhs. Odisha Juggernauts, who finished third by defeating Telugu Yoddhas earlier, received Rs 30 lakhs.
Gujarat Giants made a superb start to the match, sending back Chennai Quick Guns’ prime batch of Ramji Kashyap, Madan and Vijay Shinde in no time. They embraced the strategy of targeting Ramji early and that proved to be a masterstroke as the latter failed to last a minute. Madan also went back relatively early. While Shinde held on for longer, he was unable to secure a dream run point for his team. Chennai Quick Guns’ second batch did manage a dream run point, but with the score at 14-1, it was Gujarat Giants who held the advantage going into Turn 2.
They then consolidated that advantage with a superb defensive display. The first Gujarat Giants defensive batch of Suyash Gargate, Shubham Thorat and Deepak Madhav delivered five dream run points, lasting five minutes and six seconds on the mat. With only three members of the next batch staying unconquered, Gujarat Giants held a huge 12-point lead going into the second innings.
Chennai Quick Guns managed to secure three bonus points in Turn 3 but it was too little too late. With an 19-point deficit to make up in the final turn, they needed a miracle.
That miracle almost came. Chennai Quick Guns made a terrific start to Turn 4, sending back the first Gujarat Giants batch in just a minute and 17 seconds. The next batch too was dispatched fast giving the Chennai Quick Guns a glimmer of hope. But Sanket Kadam stayed unbeaten and secured the trophy for his team.
Earlier, Odisha Juggernauts secured third place by defeating Telugu Yoddhas 32-24. It was Telugu Yoddhas who held a slender 14-13 advantage at the end of the first innings. But a good Turn 3 by Odisha Juggernauts, which saw them earn three defensive bonus points followed by a superb show by their attackers in the final turn, saw them finish the match on top.
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.
