News Broadcasting
ESPN Star Sports bags TV rights for ‘French Open’
MUMBAI: ESPN STAR Sports, Asia’s sports broadcaster, has acquired the exclusive telecast rights to the French Open Grand Slam tournament for a period of five years in South Asia, starting with the next championship in May-June 2007.
Roland Garros (commonly referred to as the French Open) will add to the existing line-up of tennis programming on ESPN and STAR Sports, which already includes the Australian Open, the Wimbledon, ATP Masters Series, the Tennis Masters Cup and other national and Asian level tournaments, asserts an official release.
Speaking on the acquisition, ESPN India Pvt Ltd managing director R C Venkateish said, “We are in the business of bringing top sporting action to our fans and the French Open fits in beautifully with our tennis calendar, making our offering even more satisfying for Indian tennis fans, who will continue to enjoy the international quality production and packaging synonymous with tennis broadcast on ESPN and STAR Sports.”
French Federation of Tennis (FFT) commercial director Michel Grach said, “We are extremely pleased to be associated with ESPN STAR Sports for the telecast of the French Open for the next five years. Being a premier tournament, we are indeed delighted that the leader in international sport will be showing the tournament live in the Indian sub-continent, providing tennis fans a chance to see some of the game’s best in action.”
ESPN STAR Sports has a major share of Indian tennis, being the official broadcaster of the recently-concluded Mumbai Open and having broadcasted earlier this year the Bangalore and Chennai Opens, adds the release.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
