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ESS set to take Indian hockey into new league
NEW DELHI: India’s “step-sister” sport of hockey has just been given a huge dose of much-needed marketing support in an intiative spearheaded by ESPN Star Sports in tandem with the Indian Hockey Federation and Leisure Sports Management.
The unveiling yesterday of logos and jerseys for the Tier I teams competing in the just launched Premier Hockey League (PHL) marks a new beginning for India’s long-neglected national sport. The PHL will kick off in Hyderabad on 13 January, 2005.
PHL is the result of over three years of extensive work put in by ESS, the IHF and LSM. The league has been launched to increase the popularity of hockey in India.
JWT, the advertising agency of ESPN Star Sports India, designed the team logos while fashion designer Aparna Chandra was roped in to give the players and the teams a contemporary look.
The PHL launch was marked yesterday in the capital with a fashion show choreographed by Tania Lefebvre and Aparna Bahl. Captains of the five Tier I teams Gagan Ajit Singh (Sher-e-Jallandhar), Viren Rasquinha (Maratha Warriors), Ignace Tirkey (Chennai Veerans), Dilip Tirkey (Hyderabad Sultans) and Arjun Halappa (Bangalore High-Fliers) shared the ramp with leading models on the occasion.
Speaking at the occasion, IHF president KPS Gill said, “This is the first time in the history of Indian sports that an event, of such a large scale, has been created to launch a domestic championship. I am delighted by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the ESS management in giving PHL such a grand launch after two years of hard work by LSM. This great game indeed merits this attention and more.”
“We are indeed privileged to have ESPN Star Sports and Leisure Sports Management to partner us in this herculean task to create this new beginning through this league,” said IHF general secretary K Jothikumaran.
According to ESS MD RC Venkateish, increased popularity will, in-turn, attract foreign players and at the same time encourage more and more youngsters to play the game. PHL will also provide the much-needed exposure to the game and the players.
“LSM will continue to work closely with IHF & ESS to ensure that the functioning of the league is smooth with the best of facilities being provided to participants and viewers,” offered the company chairman and MD S S Dasgupta.
PHL offers total prize money of Rs 7.1 million. The winner will win Rs 3 million while the runners up will collect Rs 1 million. The winner of Tier II will get Rs 400,000 while the runner up will receive Rs 250,000. Allocation of above prizes between players and the respective associations shall be specified by IHF.
The league will have two tiers having five teams each in the first year. Tier I will be called the ‘Premier Division’ and Tier II will be called the ‘First Division’. The League will follow a round robin format with all teams playing each other twice. The winner will be decided on the basis of total points.
PHL will also feature players from foreign countries like Pakistan, South Korea, Spain and others. All leading Indian players will reserve themselves to play the PHL. PHL will also present itself as the first sporting platform ever where Pakistani and Indian players will play in the same team, adds the release.
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.
