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ESS to air IFA Shield in December
MUMBAI: As part of its commitment to develop sports in India ESPN Star Sports (ESS) will showcase live the semi-finals and the final of the IFA Shield 2005 football tournament next month.
ESS has been televising the country’s oldest football tournament for last two years with tremendous response from the avid soccer fans of the country.
As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com Total Sports Asia which works with the Indian Football Association (IFA) on the Futsal initiative will bring down the German club Bayern Munich for the event.
The tournament will feature only six clubs under a novel format this year- East Bengal. Mohun Bagan, Mohd. Sporting, Eveready, Malaysian club Perlis and the German club, Bayern Munich. The top German club has been given a direct entry into the semi finals for the tournament.
The channel is making special programming and production initiatives for the telecast of the tournament. Former soccer players and sports celebrities will feature in the ESS’ studio for in-depth analysis and interesting discussions during the ‘IFA Shield 2005’. The channel also has the impressive and highly knowledgable team of Jason Dasey as presenter and Novy Kapadia as commentator along with a variety of special guests for the IFA Shield 2005
ESS India MD R. C. Venkateish said, “ESPN Star Sports has been committed to the development of sports in India. We have been growing sports like hockey, soccer, tennis, motorsports among others with live coverage on our channel. Continuing with our efforts to promote domestic soccer, we will be showcasing the IFA shield for the third time this year.”
“With our production quality and specialised packages, we expect more youth audience to tune in to the domestic soccer competition in India compared to about 700,000 viewers in 2004. We aim to target the football crazy audience with production quality similar to the international standards of English Premier League and the Champions league already showcased on ESPN Star Sports.”adds Venkateish.
IFA honourary secretary Subrata Dutta said, “ESPN Star Sports and IFA have a long standing partnership for the last seven years. We hope that their high quality coverage of the tournament with international production quality will bring in more people to watch it. We are also enthusiastic about the top German club, Bayern Munich, making it to India as that will add to the viewer base.”
The schedule is as follows
| Date | Fixture | Time | Channel |
| 1 Dec 05 | Winners of Group A Vs Runners up of Group B | 17:45 | Star Sports |
| 2 Dec 05 | Bayern Munich Vs Runners Up of Group A | 17:45 | Star Sports |
| 4 Dec 05 | Winner of Semi Final 1 Vs Winner of Semi Final 2 | 17:45 | Star Sports |
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.
